New Crown Court room opens in Redditch

Victims and communities in Worcestershire can expect quicker access to justice with the opening of a new Crown Court room at Redditch Magistrates’ Court. The upgraded facility, which repurposes a 25-year-old building with existing cells, increases capacity for serious criminal cases, reducing the burden on Worcester Crown Court.

The new courtroom has already made an impact since becoming operational in August 2024, hosting 25 multi-day and multi-week trials that might otherwise have been delayed. The development was officially opened yesterday (21 January 2025) by the Lady Chief Justice, who was joined by Mrs Justice Amanda Tipples, Presiding Judge for the Midlands Circuit.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:
“I welcome the opening of this new Crown courtroom facility, which will ensure local communities have quicker access to justice. This development will provide an essential boost to our court infrastructure in Worcestershire and beyond.”

Mrs Justice Tipples added: “This new courtroom is a testament to the commitment to strengthening the justice system in the Midlands. It will help deliver timely justice to victims and defendants alike, ensuring fair and efficient trials.”

The Crown Court room in Redditch is part of a larger initiative to enhance regional court capacity, with another Crown courtroom set to open later this year at Hereford Justice Centre. This addition will help address significant backlogs, which have grown since the closure of Hereford’s main courtroom in 2020 due to structural damage and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lady Chief Justice, reflecting on the broader improvements, said: “This marks an important step forward in improving access to justice across the region. Investments like this are vital in ensuring our courts can meet the needs of the communities they serve.”

The Redditch facility and forthcoming Hereford courtroom are expected to streamline case processing, enabling more efficient handling of serious criminal cases and strengthening justice services across the Midlands.