Manchester is set to see the introduction of a new ‘super courtroom’ designed to provide more space to hold large trials.
The modified larger courtroom – which is coming to Manchester Crown Court, within the existing Crown Square site – is set to be the first of its kind in the UK, and will be created with the intention of providing additional space to hold complex “multi-hander” cases.
Multi-hander cases are cases usually involving multiple defendants being tried together, and the types of cases cited by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as likely to be held include gang murder trials.
This is the latest scheme to be announced as the criminal justice system responds to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The introduction of the new super courtroom facility comes amid England’s third national lockdown, and after ongoing restrictions and social distancing measures over the past 11 months of the pandemic have meant that the court system has faced a number of challenges in accommodating large trials.
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At a recent Manchester Crown Court murder trial with four defendants, for example, the accused were held in docks in two separate court rooms, with two in one court and two in another.
A second courtroom then followed the trial by video link, from the court where the judge and jury were present, and such trials often also need to employ a third courtroom, which is used as the jury’s deliberation room.
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To help reduce delays in the justice system 14 new Nightingale courtrooms are opening at locations including London, Birmingham & Manchester. We have also announced a new 'super courtroom' due to be created to hear multi-hander cases.
That’s not the only new court coming to Manchester either.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has also announced this week that another new ‘Nightingale court’ will also be set up at The Hilton Hotel – located in the Beetham Tower on Deansgate – in an effort to “reduce delays” and “deliver speedier justice for victims”, while also “providing a financial boost to the venues”.
This new Manchester Hilton site will mostly hear non-custodial Crown Court cases.
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Alongside several other new UK locations, the Manchester Hilton will bring the total number of Nightingale courtrooms – which were set up across the country to enable more socially-distanced trials – to 60 by the end of March 2021.
“We have achieved an immense amount in our battle to keep justice moving during the pandemic,” the Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland, said.
“Restarting jury trials before anyone else, turbo-charging the rollout of video technology, bringing magistrates’ backlogs down, and opening more courtrooms for jury trials [and now] these new courts are the latest step in that effort.
“I am determined to minimise delays and ensure justice is served for victims, defendants and the public.
“[And] that is why we are investing hundreds of millions to drive this recovery further, deliver swifter justice and support victims”.
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Hilton Manchester Deansgate
Both of Manchester’s new super courtroom and Nightingale court form part of a UK-wide £113 million investment to “alleviate pressures on courts and tribunals”, which has so far included the recruiting 1,600 extra staff, the deployment of further technology, and on-site safety precautions such as plexiglass screens.
The MoJ confirms that this is also on top of the £142 million being spent to speed up technological improvements and modernise courtrooms.
You can find more information via the gov.uk website here.
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Body of woman found in River Mersey last year finally identified after ‘extensive’ investigation
Emily Sergeant
The body of woman who was found in the River Mersey last year has finally been identified.
Following what has been described as an ‘extensive investigation’ by Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Major Incident Team to determine the identity of the body, which was sadly discovered in the river adjacent to Chorlton Water Park on 21 March 2024, the family of the victim has now been informed and supported by specialist officers.
The victim has been formally named as 38-year-old Laura Stanley, who was originally from Derbyshire but was living in Stockport.
After the body was discovered, and ‘exhaustive and determined’ investigation by GMP officers began to identify here, including detailed checks of both national and international databases.
The Major Incident Team (MIT) also closely worked in collaboration with specialist forensic service providers to create an anthropological profile, which eventually culminated in the creation of a facial reconstruction image.
Following several media appeals, a relative of Laura contacted officers and then a DNA match was confirmed through a familial link.
“Laura was a kind and gentle person with a great sense of fun and adventure,” Laura’s family said in a heartbreaking tribute to her.
“She was generous, thoughtful, caring and always keen to volunteer within the community. Laura was a proud and loving mum and she will be greatly missed by her girls and all of her friends and family who loved her dearly.”
The River Mersey, across from Chorlton Water Park, where Laura’s body was discovered / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
While Laura has now been identified, police say further investigations will take place to understand her last movements, the events that led to her death, and her discovery in the river.
Additionally, as is standard practice, GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate is also reviewing a previous missing report relating to Laura in the time before the discovery of her body, which will determine prior contact relating to Laura, and whether the appropriate measures were enacted.
#UPDATE | A woman who was discovered in the River Mersey last year has been identified following an extensive investigation by officers in GMP’s Major Incident Team.
Thank you to those of you who have shared our appeals over the last year.
Anyone who knew Laura and thinks they may be able to assist with the investigation is asked to contact police by calling 101, or by using the Live Chat Service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log number 1191 of 21 March 2024.
Alternatively, you can contact the Major Incident Team Syndicate 3 directly on 0161 856 9479, or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
It is currently believed that Laura was last seen around January 2024.
Featured Image – GMP
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More than 70,000 home buyers set to pay thousands after missing stamp duty relief deadline
Emily Sergeant
More than 70,000 home buyers across England are estimated to have missed the stamp duty relief deadline.
This sadly means they’ll be required to fork out thousands of pounds extra.
In case you hadn’t heard, up until yesterday (31 March 2025), anyone who was moving and had bought a home in the past was not required to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax, better-known as just stamp duty, on the portion of the property price up to £250,000.
But from today (1 April), this threshold has now fallen back to £125,000, which unfortunately means that property purchasers are facing an extra £2,500 in moving costs, on average.
While the end of the stamp duty relief will mostly affect those Greater Manchester buyers who had already previously purchased properties, first time buyers are sadly not exempt from the deadline changes too, as their current stamp duty threshold of £425,000 has now fallen back to £300,000 as of today.
Person holding the keys to a new house in their hand / Credit: Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
Given that the average property price for a first time buyer-type home is currently around £227,965, according to Rightmove, the new £300,000 threshold may hit those purchasing properties in more expensive areas – particularly the South East.
A third of those estimated 70,000 home buyers who have missed the deadline are thought to be first time buyers.
Leading property platform Rightmove published an analysis in February into just how much of an impact the end of the stamp duty relief would have on home buyers, all while calling on the UK Government to announce a short extension to the deadline to help people in the middle of the property purchasing process avoid potentially thousands of pounds in extra moving costs.
But despite these calls from industry leaders, there was no extension to the deadline announced in the last week’s latest Spring Statement.
“It’s extremely disappointing that the Government has not used the Spring Statement as an opportunity to extend the impending stamp duty deadline for those currently going through the home-moving process,” commented Rightmove’s property expert Colleen Babcock.
“We estimate over 70,000 people are going to miss the deadline and complete in April instead, and a third of those are first time buyers.”
The Manc -
18th February 2021 
