Courtrooms open to cameras for 1st time in England

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) – For the first time in England, cameras have been allowed inside a court to record proceedings as a young man was sentenced for manslaughter.

Ben Oliver, 25, admitted to the manslaughter of his grandfather David, 74, in January last year.

Judge Sarah Munro handed down a life sentence with a minimum of 10 years.

The judge said that the killing was “ferocious but controlled,” telling Oliver: “You were making conscious decisions to attack his eyes and mouth, knowing you were killing him and why you did so.”

Cameras filmed the moment she handed down the sentence, and it was broadcast on news channels.

Going forward, high-profile cases like this will be filmed.

The move follows a change in the law in 2020, that was delayed due to the pandemic. It follows a years-long campaign by British broadcasters to open up key moments in court proceedings to cameras. Broadcasters hailed the change as a “landmark moment for open justice.”

There are limits, however. Only the final verdicts, as well as statements from judges, will be allowed to be recorded. Members of the jury, witnesses, and others in the courtroom will not be filmed. There will also be a 10-second delay to avoid breaching reporting restrictions and other errors.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Opening up the courtroom to cameras to film the sentencing of some of the country’s most serious offenders will improve transparency and reinforce confidence in the justice system.

“The public will now be able to see justice handed down, helping them understand better the complex decisions judges make.”

The move also had the backing of Lord Burnett of Maldon, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, who said the move was positive in promoting open justice.

“I think it’s an exciting development because it will help the public to understand how and why criminals get the sentences that they do in these very high-profile cases,” he said.

Cameras are already allowed in courts in Scotland in certain circumstances.​​​​​​​