15 September 2021
The first ‘super courtroom’―part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s strategy to tackle the backlog of cases―has opened
Manchester Crown Court has been refurbished and extended to create a space three times the size of a usual courtroom, allowing for trials with up to 12 defendants, also known as multi-handers.
A backlog of trials that require this level of space, which usually involve gang-related crime, has built up due to social distancing requirements.
The larger space will allow these cases to be heard at speed without disrupting other criminal cases due to be heard in the building.
