New court opens at Yorkshire university to help tackle cases backlog

The new court is in the university's recently revamped Canham Turner building and will provide an extra courtroom where civil and family cases can be heard.

In 2020, the pandemic forced courts across the country to suspend new jury trials, creating a backlog and delays in cases.

Temporary ‘Nightingale’ courts have been set up across the country to enable more socially distanced trials to take place, ensuring justice continues to be served.

This is because more space is required than was previously the case due to the need to keep everyone distanced in the buildings – such as jurors, witnesses, court staff, legal professionals and judges.

Courts Minister, Chris Philp MP, said: "I am grateful to Hull University for joining the national effort to reduce delays and deliver speedier justice for victims in Humberside.

"This is having a real impact and the number of crown court cases being heard across England and Wales is now back up to what it was before the pandemic struck last Spring. We are also cutting backlogs in the magistrates’ courts where most cases are heard.

"The new sites will hear non-custodial crime cases, as well as civil, family and tribunals work. The move will free up more room in existing courts to hear other cases, including custodial jury trials, which require cells and secure dock facilities."

The move forms part of a £110 million investment to deliver 40 Nightingale court rooms and funds a range of measures to address the number of outstanding cases.

These efforts will be supported by an extra £337m the government is spending next year to deliver swifter justice and support victims, while £76m will further increase capacity in family courts and tribunals.

Further sites in Staffordshire and Cirencester are expected to open later this month, bringing the total number of temporary court rooms set up nationwide to 40.

Mark Mullaney, Assistant Director of Estates and Facilities at the University of Hull said hosting a Nightingale Court on the university campus is the latest in a series of steps taken by the university to support the UK’s response to COVID-19.

He said: "This includes the mass testing of students to ensure their safe travel to and from the university, and at the start of the pandemic providing vital retraining and support for NHS staff. A team of engineers at the University also manufactured face shields which were donated to the NHS and frontline healthcare workers.

"We have also introduced a range of measures across our campus to ensure it remains a safe and secure environment for both students and staff. At this time, the wellbeing of our entire university community is our top priority."

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