Video: Portsmouth Crown Court - what cases are heard? Where is it?

This was temporarily resolved when a new law courts building (now referred to as Portsmouth Magistrates' Court) was opened on the east side of a small courtyard off Winston Churchill Avenue in July 1960.

However, as the number of court cases in Portsmouth grew, it became necessary to commission a courthouse with dedicated facilities for both Crown Court hearings, which require courtrooms suitable for trial by jury, and for County Court hearings. The site selected by the Lord Chancellor's Department, on the west side of the courtyard, had accommodated a series of rows of terraced housing (Swan Street, Russell Street and Upper Swan Street) which had been destroyed by German bombing during the Second World War.

The new building was designed by the Property Services Agency in the Modernist style, built in red brick at a cost of £7m and was opened in 1982.

A Crown Court:

• normally has a jury which decides if you’re guilty or not (the ‘verdict’)

• has a judge who decides what punishment (or ‘sentence’) you get

Your solicitor (if you have one) can explain what happens in court - the judge and court staff will also give instructions about the trial.

Cases a Crown Court deals with

A Crown Court deals with serious criminal cases, for example:

• murder

• rape

• robbery

It also deals with:

• appeals against a magistrates’ court conviction or sentence

• cases passed from a magistrates’ court for trial or sentencing

Sentences a Crown Court can give

A Crown Court can give a range of sentences including:

• community sentences

• Prison sentences - including life sentences

Appealing your sentence or conviction

You may be able to appeal against the Crown Court verdict if you disagree with it.

Asking for a sentence to be reviewed

You can ask for a Crown Court sentence review for certain types of cases if the sentence seems too low. Anyone can ask for a sentence to be reviewed - you do not have to be involved in the case.