Commissioned to ensure justice is served without lengthy transportation, Woolwich Crown Court stands as a sentinel of law. It is not just another courthouse. It’s a place where significant trials have shaped legal history.
Woolwich Crown Court is located on Belmarsh Way in Thamesmead. It is more accurately known as the Crown Court at Woolwich. This Crown Court venue deals with criminal cases.
Did you know Woolwich Crown Court was built in 1993? The Lord Chancellor’s Department wanted a courthouse next to HM Prison Belmarsh. This would remove the need to transport offenders over long distances.
The Property Services Agency designed the building in a Modernist style. Hamills Construction built it using brick and concrete. The design features a symmetrical frontage. An entrance block is flanked by two wings at slightly different angles. The entrance has a portico with columns and a glass canopy. A drum-like structure surmounts the entrance block. Light grey cladding faces the entrance and wings. Inside, Woolwich Crown Court features six courtrooms.
Woolwich Crown Court was designed as a high-security courtroom. It became the preferred venue for terrorism trials. A tunnel links the court to HM Prison Belmarsh. This secure route brings high-profile defendants to court safely. Armed police are often deployed to provide additional security at Woolwich Crown Court.
In June 1998, defendants charged with conspiracy to cause the 1996 Docklands bombing were tried and convicted here. The court later saw the trial and conviction of six men. They were accused of the 21 July 2005 London bombings. In December 2008, Bilal Abdullah was convicted for the 2007 Glasgow Airport attack at Woolwich Crown Court. July 2010 saw the conviction of those involved in the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot.
Woolwich Crown Court was also the site for the 2018 trial and conviction. This trial was for those charged with the 2015 Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary.
As we stand here, consider the weight of the decisions made within those walls. Woolwich Crown Court is more than bricks and mortar. It is a place where justice echoes.