Leeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court, more accurately the Crown Court at Leeds, is a Crown Court venue which deals with criminal cases at the Leeds Combined Court Centre in Oxford Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire. The Combined Court Centre, which is adjacent to Leeds Magistrates Courts, also accommodates the County Court.
| Leeds Combined Court Centre | |
|---|---|
Leeds Combined Court Centre | |
| Location | Oxford Row, Leeds |
| Coordinates | 53°48′01″N 1°33′05″W / 53.8003°N 1.5515°WCoordinates: 53°48′01″N 1°33′05″W / 53.8003°N 1.5515°W |
| Built | 1980 |
| Architect | Property Services Agency |
| Architectural style(s) | Modern style |
Shown in Leeds | |
History
Until the 1970s, the assize and quarter sessions in Leeds were held in Leeds Town Hall.[1] However, as the number of court cases in Leeds grew, it became necessary to commission a dedicated courthouse, both for criminal and civil matters. The site selected was based around a narrow lane known as "Oxford Street" which branched off Westgate to the north.[2]
The Leeds Combined Court Centre was designed by the Property Services Agency in the modern style, built in red brick and was completed in 1980.[3] The design of the complex involved an asymmetrical main frontage of eight bays facing onto Westgate. The main entrance was established in the Oxford Row, and the Westgate frontage was fenestrated by a distinctive row of 16 modern oriel windows on the second floor. The complex, which was intended to accommodate the Crown Court (for criminal cases) and the County Court (for civil cases), was built with five courtrooms and was subsequently supplemented by additional accommodation at Coverdale House in East Parade providing another seven courtrooms.[4]
Notable cases
As Leeds Assizes
Notable cases heard at the court have been:
- Zsiga Pankotia – found guilty of murder, becoming the last man to be hanged at Armley Gaol, in 1961.[5]
As Leeds Crown Court
- John Poulson – found guilty of fraud and jailed for five years (later increased to seven years) in 1974.[6]
- Stefan Kiszko – found guilty of the murder of Lesley Molseed and wrongfully jailed for life in 1976.[7]
- Gary Hart – found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the Selby rail crash and jailed for five years in 2001.[8]
- Nick Griffin – acquitted of incitement to racial hatred in 2006.[9]
- Wearside Jack – The Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer, found guilty of perverting the course of justice and jailed for eight years in 2006.[10]
- John Darwin – canoeist, who faked his own death in a life insurance fraud, found guilty and jailed for six years in 2008.[11]
- Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan – found guilty of the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews, child neglect and perverting the course of justice and jailed for eight years in 2008.[12]
- Will Cornick – found guilty of the murder of his teacher, Ann Maguire, and jailed for life in 2014.[13]
- Colin Gregg – heir to Greggs bakery chain and former headmaster, found guilty of sexually abusing four boys and jailed for 13½ years (later reduced by the Court of Appeal to 8½ years) in 2017.[14][15][16]
References
- ^ Black, Barrington (2015). Both Sides of the Bench. Waterside Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-1909976313.
- ^ "Ordnance Survey Map". 1949. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ Leach, Peter E.; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Minnis, John (2009). Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North. Yale University Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0300126655.
- ^ "Leeds Couty Court" (PDF). The New Law Journal. 18 September 2009. p. vii. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Pankotai, Zsiga: at Leeds on 26 April 1961 convicted of murder; sentenced to death". National Archives. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "1974: Architect jailed over corruption". BBC News. 15 March 1990. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Injections blamed as Stefan is found guilty". Manchester Evening News. 15 November 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Gary Hart in court". The Guardian. 28 November 2001. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "BNP leader cleared of race hate charges". The Guardian. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Man admits 'Ripper' hoax charges". BBC News. 20 March 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Missing canoeist admits deception". BBC News. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Shannon Matthews' mother guilty of kidnapping own daughter". The Guardian. 4 December 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ Pidd, Helen (3 November 2014). "Will Cornick: a model student who planned murder for three years". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Greggs heir jailed for abusing boys". BBC News. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ Southern, Keiran (30 March 2017). "Colin Gregg sentenced to 13-and-a-half years' prison RECAP: Former teacher is jailed for abusing boys". Newcastle Chronicle. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "Greggs heir has sex abuse sentence cut". BBC News. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
External links
- Court information