Chichester Crown Court to re-open as temporary courtroom

Campaigners protesting the closure of the crown court back in 2016

It was of 14 new ‘Nightingale courts’ announced today by the Ministry of Justice as part of a £113m investment to alleviate pressures on courts and tribunals.

The Observer understands the court in Chichester, which has been closed for several years, is expected to be operational from April.

The Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland, said: “We have achieved an immense amount in our battle to keep justice moving during the pandemic – restarting jury trials before anyone else, turbo-charging the rollout of video technology, bringing magistrates’ backlogs down, and opening more courtrooms for jury trials.

Edward Cooke at East Pallant House, which was used as a Nightingale court last year

“These new courts are the latest step in that effort, and I am determined to minimise delays and ensure justice is served for victims, defendants and the public.

“That is why we are investing hundreds of millions to drive this recovery further, deliver swifter justice and support victims.”

Gillian Keegan, the MP for Chichester, said: “The Government have done a huge amount of work to keep justice going despite the pandemic.

“So far remote hearings have increased by 4000% over the past year.

Mr Cooke outside Chichester County Court in 2016

“Across the country hearings have continued, especially to handle urgent cases such as protecting children from abuse, with 9,000 such court orders provided over a six month period last year.

“I am working closely with the Ministry of Justice and the local authorities to enable socially distanced trials to go ahead and ensure we can support our local communities to have access to justice.”

The news was welcomed by Edward Cooke, a Chichester family law solicitor who led a years-long campaign to keep court provision in Chichester after the closure of the Chichester Combined Court was announced in 2016.

He said the re-opening of the court was a ‘phoenix from the ashes’ moment and hugely symbolic for the justice system both locally but also nationally.

However he called for Mr Buckland to go further and reinstate the Combined Court centre in Chichester permanently.

He said: “The court centre has sat vacant for the last three years, completely unused, while delays in the justice system have got worse and worse.

“The only thing that has happened in that period is that weeds have grown around the Combined Court site.”