Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool

Until the mid-1980s, all Crown Court cases were heard in St George's Hall.[4] However, as the number of court cases in Liverpool grew, it became necessary to commission a more modern courthouse for both criminal and civil matters: the site selected by the Lord Chancellor's Department had been occupied by Liverpool Castle between the 13th and 18th century.[5]

The new building was commissioned by the now-defunct Property Services Agency, who were seeking a design which expressed authority and power.[6] Construction of the new building started in 1973.[7] It was designed by Farmer and Dark[8] in the brutalist style, built with vertically ribbed pre-cast concrete panels in dark, reddish tones[9] at a cost of £43.4 million,[10] and was officially opened in 1984.[5]

Hearings of the Liverpool Magistrates Court, which had been held at the courthouse in Dale Street, transferred to the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in 2015.[11]

The design by Farmer and Dark features towers on the north and south sides which were intended to echo Liverpool Castle.[5] Pollard and Pevsner describe the architecture as "hulking" and "dispiriting", but "richly sculptural".[7][9] The front facade of the building features a four metres wide version of the Royal coat of arms. Cast in concrete, it was designed by British sculptor Richard Kindersley.[12] The interior, which accommodates 28 court rooms on 10 storeys, contains strips of brown ceramic tiles in strips between the staircase tower windows.[9]

Notable trials have included:

• The trial and acquittal of Ken Dodd for tax evasion in 1990[13]
• The trial and conviction of Michael Barton for the murder of Anthony Walker in 2005[14]
• The trial and conviction of Sean Mercer for the murder of Rhys Jones in 2008[15]
• The trial and conviction of the Gooch gang for murder in 2009[16][17]