Summary
The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, in Derby Square, Liverpool, are operated by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. The building is used by the Crown Court,[1] the Magistrates' Court, Liverpool District Probate Registry[2] and the Liverpool Youth Court.[3]
| Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts | |
|---|---|
 Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Address | Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Derby Square |
| Town or city | Liverpool |
| Coordinates | 53°24′15″N 2°59′23″W / 53.4041°N 2.9896°W |
| Completed | 1984 |
| Client | Her Majesty's Courts Service |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Farmer and Dark |
History edit
Until the mid-1980s, all Crown Court cases were heard in St George's Hall.[4] However, as the number of court cases in Liverpool grew, it became necessary to commission a more modern courthouse for both criminal and civil matters: the site selected by the Lord Chancellor's Department had been occupied by Liverpool Castle between the 13th and 18th century.[5]
The new building was commissioned by the now-defunct Property Services Agency, who were seeking a design which expressed authority and power.[6] Construction of the new building started in 1973.[7] It was designed by Farmer and Dark[8] in the brutalist style, built with vertically ribbed pre-cast concrete panels in dark, reddish tones[9] at a cost of £43.4 million,[10] and was officially opened in 1984.[5]
Hearings of the Liverpool Magistrates Court, which had been held at the courthouse in Dale Street, transferred to the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in 2015.[11]
Architecture edit
The design by Farmer and Dark features towers on the north and south sides which were intended to echo Liverpool Castle.[5] Pollard and Pevsner describe the architecture as "hulking" and "dispiriting", but "richly sculptural".[7][9] The front facade of the building features a four metres wide version of the Royal coat of arms. Cast in concrete, it was designed by British sculptor Richard Kindersley.[12] The interior, which accommodates 28 court rooms on 10 storeys, contains strips of brown ceramic tiles in strips between the staircase tower windows.[9]
Notable trials edit
Notable trials have included:
- The trial and acquittal of Ken Dodd for tax evasion in 1990[13]
- The trial and conviction of Michael Barton for the murder of Anthony Walker in 2005[14]
- The trial and conviction of Sean Mercer for the murder of Rhys Jones in 2008[15]
- The trial and conviction of the Gooch gang for murder in 2009[16][17]
References edit
- ^ "Liverpool Crown Court". Her Majesty's Courts Service. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ "Liverpool District Probate Registry". Government of the United Kingdom. n.d. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ "Liverpool Youth Court". Government of the United Kingdom. n.d. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ "The St George's Hall Courts". BBC. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ a b c "Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts – Liverpool". Modern Mooch. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Wallsgrove, Jon (6 November 2019), The Architecture of Law Courts, London: Paragon Publishing, p. 21, ISBN 9781782227021
- ^ a b Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest, New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 108, ISBN 0300109105
- ^ Mulcahy, Linda; Rowden, Emma (2019). The Democratic Courthouse: A Modern History of Design, Due Process and Dignity. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 978-0429558689.
- ^ a b c Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest, New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 300, ISBN 0300109105
- ^ "Capital Building Programme". Hansard. 26 January 1996. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^ "Dale Street Magistrates Court closes its doors for the final time after 150 years". Liverpool Echo. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Liverpool Crown Court". Richard Kindersley. n.d. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ Nevin, Charles (23 October 2004). "Tickling shtick". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ Sarah Chapman. "Barton guilty of Walker Murder". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
- ^ Russell Jenkins (16 December 2008). "Sean Mercer to serve minimum of 22 years for murdering Rhys Jones". The Times. London. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
- ^ "Gooch Gang members will be sentence for bringing 'murder and mayhem' to Manchester". Daily Telegraph. 7 April 2009.
- ^ "Gangsters guilty of wake murder". BBC News. 6 April 2009.