Lewes Crown Court Explained

Lewes Crown Court
Location:	Lewes, East Sussex
Built:	1812
Architect:	John Johnson
Architecture:	Classical style
Designation1:	Grade II* Listed Building
Designation1 Date:	25 February 1952
Designation1 Number:	1043780

Lewes Crown Court is a Crown Court venue in Lewes High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England. It forms part of the Lewes Combined Court Centre which it shares with Lewes County Court. The building, which was known as the "County Hall" from an early stage, was also the headquarters of East Sussex County Council from 1889 to 1938: it is a Grade II* listed building.

History

The building, which was designed by John Johnson in the classical style, was built in Portland stone between 1808 and 1812. The design for the building involved a symmetrical main frontage of five bays facing the High Street; the central section of three bays featured a recess with six Doric order columns supporting the upper floors; there were casement windows on the first floor and flanking wings which slightly projected forwards. Above the first floor windows were reliefs which depicted Wisdom, Justice and Mercy. The building was extended by two bays to the east in a similar style later in the 19th century. The building was known as "County Hall" from an early stage.^{[1] [2]}

The structure was originally used as a facility for dispensing justice but, following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it also became the meeting place of East Sussex County Council.^[3] The county council moved Pelham House in 1938, from when the building in Lewes High Street was used solely for accommodating the assize courts.^[4] The county council then moved on from Pelham House to St Anne's Crescent in Lewes in 1968.^[4] Following the implementation of the Courts Act 1971, the former assizes court was re-designated Lewes Crown Court.^[5]

Cases

Notable cases held at Lewes Assizes, later Lewes Crown Court, include:

• 1920: The "Crumbles Murder case" in which Jack Field and William Thomas were convicted of the murder of Irene Munro^{[6] [7] [8]}
• 1930: The trial of Sidney Harry Fox for the murder of his mother for insurance money^[9]
• 1934: The acquittal of Tony Mancini for the "Brighton Trunk Murder" of Violet Kaye, to which he later confessed^[10]
• 1949: John Haigh, the "acid bath murderer"^[11]
• 1956: John Bodkin Adams, previously acquitted of murder at the Old Bailey, was tried at Lewes for collateral offences^[12]
• 1998: Trial of Sion Jenkins for the murder of Billie-Jo Jenkins (later acquitted)^[13]
• 2001: Roy Whiting was tried and convicted of the murder of Sarah Payne^[14]
• 2004: Graham Coutts was tried and convicted of the murder of schoolteacher Jane Longhurst^[15]
• 2004: Andrew Wragg was acquitted of murdering his son and sentenced to two years for manslaughter^[16]
• 2009: Martin and Nathan Winter, and their company Alpha Fireworks Ltd, were found guilty of the manslaughter of two East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service firefighters in the 2006 Marlie Farm Fireworks Explosion^[17]
• 2010: Bridget Kathleen Gilderdale was acquitted of the attempted murder of her daughter, Lynn Gilderdale (an ME sufferer)^[18]

External links

• Court information

Notes and References

1. Book: Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons. 46. 331. UK Parliament. 16 February 1837. 15 October 2020.
2. Web site: The County Hall and High Street, Lewes. Victoria and Albert Museum. 1940. 15 October 2020.
3. Web site: Local Government Act 1888. Legislation.gov.uk. 17 August 2019.
4. Web site: History of East Sussex County Council: Meetings and buildings. 17 August 2019.
5. Courts Act 1971 (Commencement) Order 1971 (SI 1971/1151)
6. Web site: The Ultimate Crime . www.real-crime.co.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20070614021756/http://www.real-crime.co.uk/Murder1/docf.htm . 2009-10-20 . 2007-06-14 .
7. Book: Wilson, Colin. Encyclopedia of Murder. Patricia Pitman . Pan Books. London . 1984. 0-330-28300-6. 239–240.
8. Book: Blood & ink: an international guide to fact-based crime literature . Albert Borowitz . Kent State University Press . 2002 . 0-87338-693-0 . D-43 .
9. Book: F. Tennyson Jesse

   . F. Tennyson Jesse . F. Tennyson Jesse . Sidney Fox . Famous Trials III . James H. Hodge . Penguin Books . 1950 . 43–96 .

10. Web site: Trunk murders revisited. 27 June 2002. The Argus. 18 August 2019.
11. Web site: John George Haigh. Old Police Cells Museum. 18 August 2019. 8 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210808003833/https://www.oldpolicecellsmuseum.org.uk/content/history/sussex_murders/john_george_haigh. dead.
12. Book: Cullen, Pamela V. . A Stranger in Blood: The Case Files on Dr John Bodkin Adams . London . Elliott & Thompson . 2006 . 1-904027-19-9 . 249.
13. News: Still no justice for Billie-Jo 19 years on. 15 February 2016. Hastings Observer. 26 April 2021.
14. Web site: Anger as man faces court over Sarah Payne murder. The Guardian. 7 February 2001. 18 August 2019.
15. Web site: Musician found guilty of murder of teacher. 4 February 2004. The Guardian. 18 August 2019.
16. Web site: Drunken father killed ailing son. 1 March 2005. The Guardian. 18 August 2019.
17. Web site: Fireworks factory owner jailed over fatal explosion. 16 December 2009. The Guardian. 18 August 2019.
18. Web site: Mother cleared of ME daughter's attempted murder. 25 January 2010. BBC. 18 August 2019.