Britain | Courting disaster

Why crumbling courts are worsening Britain’s trial backlog

Broken boilers, leaking rooves and delayed proceedings

Copyright by Peter Jordan Story by Carri-Anne Taylor General view of Inner London Crown Court where Keith Walker Age 70 was found guilty of a indecent sexual assault charge on Karen Reddin-Taylor age 52 from Plymouth which happened 35 years ago. Today Tuesday 8thJanuary 2019 The Sun Picture by Peter Jordan
Image: News Licensing

Grandiose rooms, antique benches, lawyers bedecked in wigs and gowns. As the set of a period legal drama, Inner London Crown Court looks the part. As a modern workplace, it’s struggling to fit the bill. The staff canteen, shut during the pandemic, has been abandoned. The basement is prone to flooding and the ceiling is prone to leaking. Like much of the court estate in England and Wales, it’s slowly falling apart.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “All rising damp”

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