Crown Court to broadcast sentencing remarks for first time

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Following a recent change in the law, broadcast news channels will air judges’ sentencing remarks from the Crown Court for the first time.

The first case to be broadcasted from court is the sentencing of Ben Oliver, who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his grandfather, at the Old Bailey tomorrow Thursday 28 July 2022.

After a successful pilot scheme at eight crown court sites, the move has been welcomed by national broadcasters as an opportunity for the public to understand the justice system, and to see and hear judges explain the reasoning behind their sentences. The idea is to give a better understanding of how these decisions are reached.

The filmed sentencing remarks will be hosted by Sky News on a dedicated YouTube channel. When broadcasting live there will be a 10 second delay to avoid any breach of restrictions or errors.

Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab commented: “Opening up the courtroom to cameras to film the sentencing of some of the country’s most serious offenders will improve transparency and reinforce confidence in the justice system.

“The public will now be able to see justice handed down, helping them understand better the complex decisions judges make.”

Lubna Shuja, vice president of the Law Society, also commented on the news: “We welcome this transparency, which will help the public to understand how the law works and decisions are made.

“Providing it is done in a sensitive manner, the broadcasting of sentencing remarks can be a valuable tool for educating the public. It can also raise awareness of what the rule of law means and why it is important.”

This update is part of the government’s court reform and digitalisation programme which aims to increase access to justice. The introduction of video technology in the court system will allow remote hearings and the use of video-recorded evidence for victims of rape and sexual offences.