All About the Old Bailey

?Research by Emily Thomas

What is it?

The Old Bailey is the central criminal court for England and Wales and home to the Crown Court. The court hears cases mainly from the city of London and those remitted from other areas of England and Wales. The public galleries can be accessed for free, meaning you can observe trials and court proceedings. This provides a great insight into criminal law.

History and Structure

The Old Bailey has been a building central to justice and has been the primary courthouse since the 1600. It was rebuilt several times during this period including after being burnt down in the great fire of London in 1666.

The Significance of Court No.1

Court No.1 is perceived to be ‘Britain’s Foremost court’ where some of the most influential cases have taken place. Subsequently impacting upon social, political, and cultural norms over the past 100 years.?Court No.1, specifically, is a record of the changing face of British society as it developed into the modern era. It has seen the progression both in the development of criminal cases but also the judicial process which hears them.?It is said that through the criminal trials that have occurred in this court, “there can be at least one version of social and moral change over the last century” (1).?Having such an influence on British society and politics helps illustrate why it is named to be the foremost court in the country. Court No. 1 has hosted some of the most well-known criminal trials such as those of OscarWilde and the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe.

The Trial of Peter Sutcliffe

The trial of Peter Sutcliffe involved conviction for the murder of 13 and attempted murder of 7 individuals.?Sutcliffe appealed this conviction on the grounds of diminished responsibility, which is a partial defence to murder based on a diagnosed medical condition. Had this defence been accepted Sutcliffe would have escaped the mandatory life sentence, as he would have been charged with manslaughter, with sentencing starting points significantly lower.?The appeal however failed.?The arrest and conviction of this mass murderer meant the end of the longest and most expensive murder hunt in British history.?The severity of this case is clear as the trial was moved to The Old Bailey and the prosecution was led by the Attorney General, who is known to appear only in major cases.

Research Links

(1) Court Number One: The Old Bailey Trials that Defined Modern Britain, Thomas Grant

R v Coonan (Formally Sutcliffe) [2010] EWHC 1741 (QB)

Nancy O, book review, ‘Court number one’ – 12.01.2021