The Central Criminal Court

The Central Criminal Court

The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, is one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court.

Behind its dignified façade the Old Bailey is a centre of intense activity with thousands of people entering the building on a daily basis. As well as judges, counsel, jurors, witnesses and defendants, these include the many staff needed to run the courts and the building.

About the Old Bailey

The City of London Corporation owns and administers the building, as department headed by the Head of Operations. This handles security, maintenance and also deals with administration of the Shrievalty, which includes execution of writs and warrants. Staff run the courts is headed by the Court Manager who is employed by the HMCTS. The work includes the huge and complicated task of assigning cases to courts, ensuring that there are always cases ready and waiting to be heard, with witnesses, defendants and counsel available

The public galleries

Access is free and based on a first come first served basis

• Seating cannot be reserved under any circumstances
• Groups, maximum 20 people, need to call in advance