Sheffield Crown Court: Cameras may soon be allowed to film judges' sentencing remarks

Cameras may soon be allowed to broadcast from crown courts in England and Wales - including Sheffield Crown Court - for the first time following Government legislation.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Government has stated that the Crown Court (Recording and Broadcasting) Order 2020 will allow cameras to broadcast the sentencing remarks of High Court and Senior Circuit judges in some of the most high-profile courts across the country, including Sheffield Crown Court and the Old Bailey.

Proceedings are currently broadcast from certain Court of Appeal cases but new legislation is expected to extend this to crown courts which means the public will be able to hear judges explain the reasons behind their sentences for the most serious offences.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Filming will be restricted to sentencing remarks only and no other court user including victims, witnesses, jurors and court staff will be filmed.

Pictured is Sheffield Crown Court where cameras may soon be allowed to be used to film senior judges' sentencing remarks for online website and TV coverage.Pictured is Sheffield Crown Court where cameras may soon be allowed to be used to film senior judges' sentencing remarks for online website and TV coverage.
Pictured is Sheffield Crown Court where cameras may soon be allowed to be used to film senior judges' sentencing remarks for online website and TV coverage.

Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP has said: “This Government, alongside the judiciary, is committed to improving public understanding of our justice system and allowing cameras into the Crown Court will do just that.

“It will ensure our courts remain open and transparent and allow people to see justice being delivered to the most serious of offenders.”

The legislation follows a successful three-month pilot that allowed not-for-broadcast sentencing remarks to be filmed in eight crown courts and it has been welcomed by media organisations including the BBC, ITN and Sky, who campaigned for such coverage.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The aim is to make courts more open to the public, to demystify the judicial process and to broaden people’s understanding of sentences via online footage and television.

This provision is part of the Government’s wider court reform and digitalisation programme to increase access to justice.

Television cameras will be allowed to broadcast from crown courts in England and Wales for the first time following draft legislation laid by the government in January 2020 and the system is expected to come into force shortly following the passage of full legislation through parliament.

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Services is to retain copyright of footage, and HMCTS, the MoJ and the Judicial Office will be able to access footage taken by broadcasters.

Filming has already been permitted in the Supreme Court but this has been carried out by that court under a different contract.