The “success” of broadcast sentencing in serious criminal cases provides a “strong argument that we need to go further” in allowing cameras to film legal proceedings, the most senior judge in England and Wales has said.
Speaking at the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association Conference on Sunday, Lord Burnett said he had given “unequivocal support” to proposals to televise sentencing at some crown courts.“Since the first set of sentencing remarks was broadcast in July 2022, it has become clear that this innovation has been a success, and successful beyond our expectations,” he told the event in Cardiff, Wales.
Lord Burnett said sometimes the “status quo” would be maintained, that he was “personally unpersuaded” about broadcasting oral evidence of witnesses, and said that “anonymity and legitimate concerns about privacy or welfare might well tell against much potential broadcasting”. Lord Burnett said the filming of sentencing remarks would “raise public confidence in the criminal justice system and the judiciary”, “myth-busting” the view that judges were “soft on sentencing” and help “enhance understanding of the sentencing process amongst politicians and policymakers”.
“That is why we should all give very careful thought in the years to come, as technology continues to reshape our justice systems, to maintaining and, more importantly, enhancing how we give effect to open justice.” Under the current rules, authorised broadcasters – Sky, BBC, ITN and the PA news agency – must apply to broadcast the sentencing remarks and requests are decided by the judge in each case.
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