Exeter Law Courts

Until the early 21st century all criminal and civil court hearings were held in the old Law Courts at Exeter Castle.{{NHLE|desc=The Castle (Crown Court)|num=1169617|access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/went-inside-forgotten-haunted-jail-2226607|title=We went inside the forgotten and haunted jail cells of Exeter Castle|date=18 November 2018|newspaper=Devon Live| access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/0dc75b3b-9900-4c9e-8aad-a7c671c6285e|title=Exeter Combined Court Centre, The Castle, Exeter|publisher=National Archives| access-date=1 February 2023}} However, as the number of court cases in Exeter grew, it became necessary to commission a more modern courthouse for both Crown Court hearings and County Court hearings. The site selected by the Lord Chancellor's Department had formed part of the original site of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital at Southernhay.{{cite web|url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.8&lat=50.7213&lon=-3.5251&layers=168&b=1&marker=50.7213,-3.5251|title=Ordnance Survey Map|year=1914|access-date=1 February 2023}}

The new building was procured under a Private Finance Initiative contract in 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.hicl.com/portfolio/project/exeter-crown-county-court-uk/|title=Exeter Crown & County Court, UK|publisher=HICL Infrastructure| access-date=1 February 2023}} It was designed by Jacobs Babtie{{cite web|url=https://find-an-architect.architecture.com/jacobs-uk-ltd/london/exeter-courts-pfi|title=Exeter Courts PFI|publisher=Royal Institute of British Architects|access-date=1 February 2023}} in the Modernist style, built by Sir Robert McAlpine at a cost of £20 million and was completed in 2004.{{cite news|url=https://www.devonlive.com/news/exeter-magistrates-court-sold-cases-2040772|title=Exeter Magistrates' Court to be sold and all cases moved to crown court|date=26 September 2018|newspaper=Devon Live| access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite web|url= https://www.barbourproductsearch.info/exeter-crown-court-news012255.html|title=Exeter Crown Court|publisher=Barbour Product Search| access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2004-02-05/debates/cb5233c4-039d-4f06-ac79-5cf67faee667/CrownCourt(Exeter)|title=Crown Court (Exeter)|publisher=Hansard|date=5 February 2004| access-date=1 February 2023}}

The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage facing west along Southernhay Gardens. The left hand section was faced in white cladding and fenestrated at the corners by four small casement windows on two levels; the central section featured a three-storey atrium, while the right hand section, which was also three storeys high, featured a narrow full height blind wall with a Royal coat of arms at second floor level and, to the right of that a curved section with three tri-partite windows at second floor level. Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate six courtrooms.{{cite web|url=http://xhibit.justice.gov.uk/exeter.htm|title=Exeter|publisher=Ministry of Justice| access-date=1 February 2023}}

Notable cases included the trial and conviction of Lisa Hayden-Johnson, in January 2010, on charges of child cruelty and perverting the course of justice.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jan/22/mother-jailed-boy-fake-illness|title=Mother jailed for faking son's illness|date=22 January 2010|newspaper=The Guardian| access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8473949.stm|title=Devon woman jailed for 'sick son' con| date=22 January 2010|newspaper=BBC News| access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/mum-jailed-over-most-ill-child-pretence-1876199.html|title=Mum jailed over 'most ill child' pretence| date=22 January 2010|newspaper=The Independent| access-date=1 February 2023}} They also included the trial and conviction of two men, in April 2013, over a plot to rob and murder the singer, Joss Stone, at her home in Cullompton, Devon.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22013160 |title=Joss Stone death plot: Junior Bradshaw and Kevin Liverpool convicted |publisher=BBC |date=3 April 2013 |access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/joss-stone-murder-plot-man-4922769|title=Huddersfield man jailed for plot to behead soul singer Joss Stone|date=10 July 2013|newspaper=Examiner Live|access-date=1 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/joss-stone-murder-plot-man-junior-bradshaw-jailed-for-18-years-8698239.html|title=Joss Stone murder plot man Junior Bradshaw jailed for 18 years|date=11 July 2013|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=1 February 2023}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/exeter-law-courts Court information]

Category:Buildings and structures in Exeter

Category:Crown Court buildings

Category:Government buildings completed in 2004

Category:Court buildings in England