His Honour Judge Guy Kearl QC has explained how he and staff at Leeds Crown Court have been ensuring jury trials can safely resume following coronavirus (COVID-19). Kearl QC was chair of the working group who had the role of considering the use of buildings outside the court estate, eventually leading to the development of the Nightingale Courts. Initially, it was decided that Leeds Crown Court’s rooms were too small to fit a jury, defendant, witness, court staff, advocates and judge. Therefore, design consultants were tasked with designing acrylic booths for the jury to allow the court rooms to maintain their layout. This model has proved successful and is now being rolled out across Crown Courts in England and Wales.
