Team Blitz India
LONDON: Friday, 28 July marked the one-year anniversary since the first TV broadcast of proceedings of the Crown Court. Millions of viewers have seen justice served in over 30 serious criminal cases during this time.
“It has allowed the public to see justice being done in their courts and to understand the complex decisions judges make, building confidence in the justice system,” stated Justice Minister Mike Freer.
Ben Oliver trial
The first broadcast involved sentencing remarks from the Old Bailey, capturing the trial of Ben Oliver for murdering his grandfather. It was made possible thanks to a major change in the law permitting camera crews to film judges in the Crown Court as they sentence serious criminals.
Since that landmark moment, broadcasters have filmed the sentencing of 33 offenders, including Thomas Cashman and Wayne Couzens.
Plan to expand
And in a bid to further boost public understanding of how justice is delivered in England and Wales, Parliament is now consulting on whether to expand filming to include Court of Appeal judges sitting in the Crown Court, according to a statement from the Ministry of Justice.
If the law is extended, it would mean sentencing remarks in even more serious cases could be captured and beamed to the nation, throwing the doors open on the workings of the country’s most senior judges, it added. Measures only allow for the judge to be filmed during sentencing remarks to protect the privacy of victims, witnesses, and jurors.
Filming application
Authorised broadcasters – like Sky, BBC, ITN and Press Association – must apply to film and broadcast the sentencing remarks. Such requests are decided by the judge in each case.
Filmed remarks are aired with a short delay to avoid any breach of reporting restrictions or errors, with footage subject to the usual reporting restrictions. They are then hosted by Sky News on a dedicated YouTube channel where they have so far generated hundreds of thousands of views, the ministry release said.
