Chester Crown Court Listings

Chester Crown Court Listings, Sentencing Results & Hearings Today

Chester Crown Court is the Crown Court centre for Cheshire, set within the historic walls of Chester Castle on Castle Square. This page gathers the daily court listings for Chester Crown Court, sentencing results, and details of the hearings taking place today, together with the practical information defendants, witnesses, jurors and legal professionals need before attending. If you are checking which cases are listed, looking up a sentencing outcome, or planning your journey to the courthouse, the Chester Crown Court information you need is collected here in one place.

As Cheshire's only Crown Court centre, Chester handles the most serious criminal cases in the county. Matters are committed or sent here from the magistrates' courts at Chester, Warrington and Crewe, covering trials on indictment, sentencing hearings, and appeals against magistrates' court decisions. The court deals with offences such as murder, manslaughter, serious assault, robbery, rape and other sexual offences, drug trafficking and fraud. Trials are heard before a judge and jury, while sentencing, plea and case management hearings and appeals are conducted by a Circuit Judge or Recorder.

Chester Crown Court Daily Listings & Warned List

The Chester Crown Court daily cause list sets out the cases scheduled in each courtroom, the judge presiding, the type of hearing and the listed time. Court status is updated through the working day as cases are called on, adjourned or concluded, so the listing for a hearing can change at short notice. The warned list shows trials that are ready and may be called into a courtroom once one becomes available.

• Daily cause list – cases listed for hearing today across all courtrooms
• Sentencing list – defendants appearing to be sentenced after conviction or a guilty plea
• Warned list – trials on standby awaiting a free courtroom
• For trial / for mention / for appeal – the stage and purpose of each hearing

Chester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Sentencing outcomes from Chester Crown Court are widely followed across Cheshire. Once a defendant is convicted or pleads guilty, the judge passes sentence, which may include immediate or suspended imprisonment, a community order, a fine, or a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Members of the public and reporters regularly check Chester Crown Court sentencing today to track results from the county's most notable cases. Reporting restrictions apply to some cases, so not every result is published straight away.

Chester Crown Court Location & History

Few courts in England are housed in a building as striking as Chester's. The Crown Court occupies the former Shire Hall within Chester Castle, a Grade I listed masterpiece of Greek Revival architecture designed by the architect Thomas Harrison and completed in 1801. The wider Castle complex, built between 1788 and 1822, is entered through Harrison's monumental Propylaeum gateway off Grosvenor Road, with its Doric columns and temple-like lodges. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the work as one of the most powerful monuments of the Greek Revival anywhere in England. The Castle stands at the south-western edge of the city centre, overlooking the River Dee and beside the Roodee racecourse, and the site shares its grounds with the Cheshire Military Museum.

Court address and contact information

• Address: Chester Crown Court, The Castle, Chester, CH1 2AN
• Telephone (general enquiries): 01244 317 606
• Court Clerks: 01244 356 713
• Listing Office: 01244 356 725
• Juror enquiries: 01244 356 726
• Court open: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Public counter: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Telephone enquiries answered: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Cases handled: Crime (indictable and either-way offences, sentencing and appeals)

Facilities and accessibility

• Lift access to all floors
• Accessible toilets on the ground floor
• Hearing enhancement (induction loop) available by prior arrangement
• Assistance dogs welcome and Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards on request
• Four interview rooms on the ground floor
• Café and vending machines on site
• Baby changing facilities
• Security arch search of all visitors and possessions on entry

Getting to Chester Crown Court

By train

Chester railway station is served by direct trains from Liverpool, Manchester, Crewe and North Wales. The Castle is at the south-western end of the city centre, around a 20-minute walk through town, or a short bus or taxi ride from the station.

By bus

Chester bus interchange is in the city centre, a short walk from the Castle via Grosvenor Street and Grosvenor Road. Local services stop close by, and the compact city centre makes the courthouse easy to reach on foot.

By car and parking

There are no parking facilities at the courthouse except for blue badge holders, which can be arranged by contacting the court in advance. The nearest public car park is the Little Roodee car park, Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 1SL, a short walk from the Castle entrance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cases are heard at Chester Crown Court?

Chester Crown Court hears serious criminal cases for Cheshire, sent from the magistrates' courts at Chester, Warrington and Crewe. These include jury trials, sentencing for indictable offences such as violence, sexual offences, drug supply and fraud, and appeals against magistrates' court decisions.

How do I find out who is in court at Chester today?

The daily cause list shows the cases listed at Chester Crown Court for the day, with the courtroom, judge and type of hearing. The list is updated through the morning as cases are called on, so check back for the current status of hearings today.

Where can I find Chester Crown Court sentencing results?

Sentencing results follow once a defendant is convicted or pleads guilty and the judge passes sentence. You can track sentencing today through the court's listings, although reporting restrictions may delay or limit publication of some outcomes.

What are the opening hours of Chester Crown Court?

The court and public counter are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and telephone enquiries are answered during the same hours on 01244 317 606.

Is there parking at Chester Crown Court?

There is no public parking at the building other than for blue badge holders by prior arrangement. The nearest public car park is Little Roodee on Grosvenor Street, CH1 1SL, within easy walking distance of the Castle.