Crown Court
Crown Court
We understand that this is a difficult and challenging time for you and your family. Attending court, be it Magistrates’ or Crown, can be a daunting experience but we are here to help you through it. Our qualified solicitors have a wealth of experience dealing with both small and complex cases and are on hand to provide legal expertise, guidance and moral support at every stage of the process.
If you find yourself charged with a criminal offence, your first court appearance will be at the local Magistrates’ Court. At that hearing, a decision will be made as to whether the case will be fully dealt with at the Magistrates’ Court or be allocated to the regional Crown Court. The criminal offence in question will dictate which court will hear your case. Some offences can be heard at either Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court.
The Crown Court has greater powers of punishment than the Magistrates’ Court and typically hears cases for the most serious offences, which will include some ‘either way’ offences and all ‘indictable-only’ offences. Unlike the Magistrates’ Court, trials at the Crown Court are heard by a jury of 12 randomly chosen men and women, who are required to provide independent judgement as to your guilt or innocence of the charges against you.
If you plead ‘guilty’ at your first court appearance and the offence, or severity of the offence, is deemed too serious to be sentenced at the Magistrates’ Court, it will be allocated to the Crown Court for sentencing.
If you plead ‘not guilty’ or indicate that you will plead not guilty, and the case is considered too serious for Magistrates’ Court, it will be sent to the Crown Court and you will make your first appearance there shortly after.
What should I expect?
At Alexander Bennett Solicitors, we have a keen understanding of how overwhelming and stressful the court process can be. We will always take the time to meet you prior to your first hearing, before you are called to the courtroom, to explain the court process and answer any questions you may have. We aim to reduce any stress or uncertainty as much as possible, as well as preparing you for what to expect.
The first hearing at Crown Court is called the Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing or PTPH. It is not a trial but your opportunity to enter a ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ plea. At the PTPH, you will be represented by a barrister or a higher rights advocate instructed by Alexander Bennett Solicitors.
If you plead ‘guilty’, all facts and other relevant details regarding the case are heard and the judge will either sentence straight away or postpone (adjourn) the sentence hearing to ask for further information. If the latter, sentencing will take place after the adjournment, once the required information has been gathered. The information requested can include; a report from the probation service (pre-sentence report), a statement from the victim of the offence/s (Victim Personal Statement), a character reference/s and any other assessment directed by the judge. The judge will consider the extra information, together with the relevant sentencing guidelines, to determine what the sentence should be.
If you plead ‘not guilty’, the facts of the case will subsequently be heard and the judge will set a future trial date.
There are several stages in the Crown Court procedure between the first hearing (PTPH) and the actual trial, including set dates by which time the prosecution must serve evidence. In addition, some cases will be placed on a specialist list, called a ‘warned list’, rather than being allocated a fixed trial date.
The specifics of the case and the court at which the trial is being held, will determine the detail and stages of the procedure and whether a trial date is fixed or not.
As a long-standing and well-respected criminal defence firm, Alexander Bennett Solicitors frequently work with KCs (Kings Counsel) and senior barristers from some of the UK’s top-ranking chambers. Together, we thoroughly explore every angle of our Crown Court cases and prepare strong defences that make a real difference to the outcomes.
Help and Advice
The information above is intended to give you some general guidance on the process and likely experience at Crown Court. It is for information only and is not intended as advice for any real case or situation.
Should you require advice concerning your specific case, please telephone or email us immediately to discuss the details. We are here to help you from the moment you contact us.
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