Old Bailey

From Open Encyclopedia

Image:Oldbaileylondon-900.jpgThe Central Criminal Court, commonly known as The Old Bailey (a bailey being part of a castle), is a Crown Court (criminal high court) in London, dealing with major criminal cases in the UK. It stands on the site of the medieval Newgate Gaol, in the street also called Old Bailey which is situated between Holborn circus and St Paul's Cathedral. The present building dates from 1907 and was designed by E.W. Mountford. Above the main entrance is inscribed, "Defend the Children of the Poor & Punish the Wrongdoer". Any judge whilst sitting in the Old Bailey is entitled to be addressed as "My Lord" or "My Lady"—even if when sitting elsewhere in the country they would normally be addressed by a lesser style (e.g. Your Honour).

During the Battle of Britain, Old Bailey was bombed and severly damaged, but subsequent reconstruction work restored most of it.

From 1970 to 1972 a new South Block was built containing more modern courts.

The Old Bailey is where Sir John Mortimer practised as a barrister. His courtroom experiences led him to create the fictional character Horace Rumpole, alias Rumpole of the Bailey.

While The Old Bailey (being a criminal court) is open to the public to view trials, no form of electronic equipment, including mobile phones, can be brought in by the public.

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