Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool

History

Until the mid-1980s, all Crown Court cases were heard in St George's Hall. 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.

The new building was commissioned by the now-defunct Property Services Agency, who were seeking a design which expressed authority and power. Construction of the new building started in 1973. It was designed by Farmer and Dark in the brutalist style, built with vertically ribbed pre-cast concrete panels in dark, reddish tones at a cost of £43.4 million, and was officially opened in 1984.

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.

Architecture

The design by Farmer and Dark features towers on the north and south sides which were intended to echo Liverpool Castle. Pollard and Pevsner describe the architecture as "hulking" and "dispiriting", but "richly sculptural". 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. The interior, which accommodates 28 court rooms on 10 storeys, contains strips of brown ceramic tiles in strips between the staircase tower windows.

Notable trials

Notable trials have included:

• The trial and acquittal of Ken Dodd for tax evasion in 1990
• The trial and conviction of Michael Barton for the murder of Anthony Walker in 2005
• The trial and conviction of Sean Mercer for the murder of Rhys Jones in 2008
• The trial and conviction of the Gooch gang for murder in 2009

References

References

1. "Liverpool Crown Court". Her Majesty's Courts Service.
2. (n.d.). "Liverpool District Probate Registry". Government of the United Kingdom.
3. (n.d.). "Liverpool Youth Court". Government of the United Kingdom}}{{Dead link.
4. "The St George's Hall Courts". BBC.
5. "Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts – Liverpool". Modern Mooch.
6. (6 November 2019). "The Architecture of Law Courts". Paragon Publishing.
7. (2019). "The Democratic Courthouse: A Modern History of Design, Due Process and Dignity". Taylor and Francis.
8. (2006). "The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest". Yale University Press.
9. (26 January 1996). "Capital Building Programme". Hansard.
10. (23 June 2015). "Dale Street Magistrates Court closes its doors for the final time after 150 years". Liverpool Echo.
11. (2006). "The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest". Yale University Press.
12. (n.d.). "Liverpool Crown Court". Richard Kindersley.
13. Nevin, Charles. (23 October 2004). "Tickling shtick". [[The Guardian]].
14. Sarah Chapman. "Barton guilty of Walker Murder". Liverpool Echo.
15. Russell Jenkins. (16 December 2008). "Sean Mercer to serve minimum of 22 years for murdering Rhys Jones". [[The Times]].
16. (7 April 2009). "Gooch Gang members will be sentence for bringing 'murder and mayhem' to Manchester". [[Daily Telegraph]].
17. (6 April 2009). "Gangsters guilty of wake murder". [[BBC News]].