Eddison Flint prosecutes first post-lockdown jury trial at York Crown Court

July 23, 2020

Eddison Flint from Exchange Chambers this week prosecuted the first post-lockdown jury trial at York Crown Court.

Seven men and five women were sworn in to hear the case of a man charged with assault, carrying an offensive weapon and affray.

Due to the layout of the building, built in 1773, the jury were spread far and wide, some being positioned in the rafters.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris told the 12: “You are the first jurors to be trying a case in this historic building under these new procedures.

“Normally all 12 of you would be in that jury box,” – he indicated the two rows of seats where two of the jurors were sitting – “Obviously that cannot happen.”

The jurors and everyone else involved in the case sat in seats carefully spaced out around Courtroom One to ensure proper social distancing.

After a gap of four months during the coronavirus lockdown, all the courtroom galleries are in use simultaneously for the first time in many years.