Luton Crown Court
{{short description|Judicial building in Luton, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name =Luton Crown Court
| native_name =
| image =Luton Crown Court - geograph.org.uk - 944842.jpg
| image_size=
| caption=Luton Crown Court
| locmapin =Bedfordshire
| map_caption =Shown in Bedfordshire
| coordinates ={{coord|51.8779|N|0.4144|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location = George Street, Luton
| area =
| built =1991
| architect =Property Services Agency
| architecture =Modernist style
| website=
}}
Luton Crown Court is a Crown Court venue, which deals with criminal cases, in George Street, Luton, England.
History
For much of the 20th century, the main venue for serious criminal court hearings in Bedfordshire was the Shire Hall in Bedford.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/22/newsid_2669000/2669115.stm|title=1962: 'A6 murder' trial begins|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 February 2023}} However, as the number of court cases in Luton grew, it became necessary to commission a new criminal courthouse in Luton itself. The site selected by the Lord Chancellor's Department was on "Market Hill",{{cite web|url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.5&lat=51.87781&lon=-0.41515&layers=168&b=1&marker=51.8779,-0.4144|title=Ordnance Survey Map|year=1914| access-date=22 February 2023}} and had been occupied by two shops: No. 7 George Street had been occupied by a betting shop,{{cite web|url=https://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityHistories/Luton/InterestingbuildingsinLuton/7And7aGeorgeStreetLuton.aspx|title=7 and 7a George Street, Luton|publisher=Bedfordshire Archives|access-date=22 February 2023}} and No. 9 George Street had been occupied by a wine shop.{{cite web|url=https://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityHistories/Luton/InterestingbuildingsinLuton/9GeorgeStreetLuton.aspx|title=9 George Street, Luton| publisher=Bedfordshire Archives|access-date=22 February 2023}}
The new building was designed by the Property Services Agency in the Modernist style, built in buff brick at a cost of £10 million,{{cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1996-01-26/debates/24326606-27f4-4596-af08-e5c5019ec7e6/CapitalBuildingProgramme|title=Capital Building Programme|date=26 January 1996|publisher=Hansard|access-date=12 March 2023}} and was completed in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.lutonheritageforum.org/exhibitions/buildings/listed-buildings-and-local-list/the-buildings-of-market-hill-luton|title=The Buildings of Market Hill, Luton|publisher=Luton Heritage|access-date=22 February 2023}} It was officially opened in April 1992.{{cite web|url=https://democracy.luton.gov.uk/cmis5public/Document.ashx?czJKcaeAi5tUFL1DTL2UE4zNRBcoShgo=JsLllgi4Zf6QBT8GIpzNTTp6sUxWWv6d70R52LcsWhSGeU%2BwpBNIXg%3D%3D&rUzwRPf%2BZ3zd4E7Ikn8Lyw%3D%3D=pwRE6AGJFLDNlh225F5QMaQWCtPHwdhUfCZ%2FLUQzgA2uL5jNRG4jdQ%3D%3D&mCTIbCubSFfXsDGW9IXnlg%3D%3D=hFflUdN3100%3D&kCx1AnS9%2FpWZQ40DXFvdEw%3D%3D=hFflUdN3100%3D&uJovDxwdjMPoYv%2BAJvYtyA%3D%3D=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&FgPlIEJYlotS%2BYGoBi5olA%3D%3D=NHdURQburHA%3D&d9Qjj0ag1Pd993jsyOJqFvmyB7X0CSQK=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNR9xqBux0r1Q8Za60lavYmz=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNQ16B2MHuCpMRKZMwaG1PaO=ctNJFf55vVA%3D |title=Report to Luton Borough Council|date=22 March 2016 |first=Richard|last=Foster|publisher=Judiciary of England and Wales| access-date=22 February 2023}} The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage facing onto George Street. The left hand section was fenestrated by five casement windows on the ground floor, by three casement windows on the first floor and by a continuous row of windows at attic level. The central bay featured a recessed opening containing a doorway at ground level, a wall faced in stone and bearing a Royal coat of arms on the first floor and a row of windows at attic level. The right hand section was formed by a three-storey circular tower with casement windows on each floor and a flat roof. Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate eight courtrooms.{{cite web|url=http://xhibit.justice.gov.uk/luton.htm|title=Luton|publisher=Ministry of Justice|access-date=22 February 2023}}
Notable cases have included the trial and conviction of Charles Bronson, in February 2000, for criminal damage and assault,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acSIDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT180|title=Britain's Most Notorious Prisoners: Victorian to Present-Day Cases|first= Stephen|last= Wade|year=2011|publisher=Pen and Sword Books|isbn=978-1844685189}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/feb/18/mattwells|title='Just give me the porridge '|date=18 February 2000| newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=22 February 2023}} and the trial and conviction of the boxer, Lukasz Stachura, for the murder of Kamil Leszczynski.{{cite news|url=https://www.northantslive.news/news/northamptonshire-news/boxer-murdered-man-joked-friends-8173457|title=Boxer murdered man and joked about it to his friends when they noticed he had gone missing|date=21 February 2023|newspaper=Northants Live| access-date=22 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-64708376|title=Wellingborough man Lukasz Stachura jailed for ditch murder|date=20 February 2023| access-date=22 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://hitchin.nub.news/news/local-news/lukasz-stachura-jailed-for-life-at-luton-crown-court-for-murdering-cheerful-and-gentle-kamil-leszczynski-after-sick-killer-joked-he-had-disposed-of-missing-family-man-172179|title=Lukasz Stachura jailed for life at Luton Crown Court for murdering 'cheerful and gentle' Kamil Leszczynski after sick killer joked he had disposed of missing family man|date=20 February 2023|newspaper=Hitchin Nub News|access-date=22 February 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/luton-crown-court Court information]
Category:Buildings and structures in Luton
Category:Crown Court buildings