LONDON (AFP) – British broadcasters yesterday televised for the first time a United Kingdom (UK) criminal court sentencing – of a man handed life in prison for manslaughter – as the legal system bids to boost transparency.
“Opening up the courtroom to cameras will improve transparency and boost confidence in the justice system,” Justice Minister Dominic Raab said on Twitter. “The public will now be able to see justice handed down, helping them understand better the complex decisions judges make,” he added.
British law was amended in 2020 to allow cameras in court but its implementation was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Broadcasters have welcomed the law change, which will now allow them to film judges sentencing serious criminals.
“Justice must be seen to be done, so this is a crucial moment for transparency in the justice system,” said interim director of BBC News Jonathan Munro.
Head of Sky News John Ryley said, “Filming judges’ sentencing remarks in the Crown Court of England and Wales is a victory for the viewer.”
Judge Sarah Munro made legal history at London’s Old Bailey court yesterday when she delivered the first televised sentencing.
Munro handed 25-year-old Ben Oliver a life imprisonment term for stabbing his grandfather to death. She ordered that he serve a minimum of 10 years and eight months.
While cameras are allowed in court, only the judge will be filmed to protect the privacy of those involved in proceedings and the footage is subject a 10-second delay to avoid any legal breaches.
