Mold Law Courts Explained

Mold Law Courts
Coordinates:53.177°N -3.1372°W
Location:Raikes Lane, Mold
Built:1969
Architect:Robert Harvey
Architecture:Modernist style

Mold Law Courts is a Crown Court venue, which deals with criminal cases, as well as a County Court venue, which deals with civil cases, in Raikes Lane, Mold, Flintshire, Wales.

History

During much of the 19th and 20th centuries, criminal court hearings took place at the old County Hall in Chester Street in Mold which was completed in 1834.[1] [2] The old County Hall was slightly damaged by bullet marks during the Mold Riots in 1869.[3] However, as the number of court cases in Mold grew, it became necessary to commission a more modern courthouse for both Crown Court hearings and County Court hearings. The site selected by the Lord Chancellor's Department, which was just north of the new County Hall, formed part of the Llwynegrin Hall estate which had been acquired for the purpose of building the County Hall and associated buildings.[4]

The new Law Courts building was designed by the county architect, Robert Harvey, in the Modernist style,[5] built in blue brick with Portland stone banding, and was completed in October 1969.[6] [7] [8] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of eleven bays facing onto Raikes Lane. The central section of five bays featured a glass doorway flanked by brickwork on either side, with sheet glazing on the two floors above. The end sections of three bays each, which were projected forward, were fenestrated with narrow casement windows in the outer bays and wide casement windows in the inner bays. There was also an attic floor which was finished in a similar style and contained the air conditioning and other equipment. Internally the building was laid out with three courtrooms.[9] Works of art installed in the building included a wall sculpture by Jonah Jones.[10]

Notable cases have included the trial and conviction of Mark Bridger, in May 2013, for the murder of April Jones.[11] [12] They also included the trial and conviction of the owner of three children's residential homes, John Allen, in November 2014, for charges in connection with the North Wales child abuse scandal.[13] [14]

Notes and References

  1. News: Town museum may go in the old court house. 21 October 2005. North Wales Live. 1 February 2023.
  2. News: There's going to be a 'riot' on the streets of Mold - here's what you need to know. 20 October 2019. North Wales Live. 1 February 2023.
  3. Web site: Blue Plaques and Information Boards. Mold and District Civic Society. 1 February 2023.
  4. Web site: Ordnance Survey Map. 1914. 1 February 2023.
  5. News: Shire Hall to be considered for protected status. 23 May 2008. Daily Post. 1 February 2023.
  6. Book: Wallsgrove, Jon. The Architecture of Law Courts. 2019. Paragon Publishing. 978-1782227021.
  7. News: Demolition to begin on court landmark. 1 September 2008. North Wales Live. 1 February 2023.
  8. News: Mold's modernist masterpiece Shire Hall marks 50 years of civic service. 30 May 2018. The Leader. 1 February 2023.
  9. Web site: Mold. Ministry of Justice. 1 February 2023.
  10. Web site: Jones, Jonah. The National Library of Wales. 1 February 2023.
  11. News: Mark Bridger begins life sentence for the murder of April Jones. 31 May 2013. Wales Online. 1 February 2023.
  12. News: April Jones trial: A timeline of Mark Bridger's time in court. 30 May 2013. Daily Post. 1 February 2023.
  13. News: John Allen jailed for life after being convicted of abusing 19 youngsters living in his care community. 1 December 2014. Wales Online. 1 February 2023.
  14. News: John Allen found guilty of 26 charges of child sex abuse in care homes. 26 November 2014. The Guardian. 1 February 2023.