Sheffield Crown Court forced to close after 'catastrophic burst pipe flood' affecting all floors

The second closure of Sheffield Crown Court caused by flooding has prompted concerns that the 'general renewal of the court estate that is vitally needed' may be slowed down 'even further'.

Sheffield Crown Court was forced to close on Friday, January 12, 2024, after what a Law Society spokesperson has described as a 'catastrophic burst pipe flood overnight which has inundated all floors, including cells'.

A spokesperson for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) confirmed the court would also remain closed on Monday, January 15 and Tuesday, January 16.

“Sheffield Combined Court has closed due to flooding from a burst pipe and the site will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday to allow for urgent repair work to be carried out.

 “We apologise for any inconvenience this causes,” the spokesperson continued.

All but two Crown Court cases, which were deemed 'urgent,' have been adjourned, and parties involved in the cases will be informed if their case has been adjourned or if an alternative venue has been found.

Sheffield Crown Court was forced to close in March 2022, after a burst water pipe caused flooding.

Sheffield Magistrates' Court was also hit by closure in the same month, due to what was described as ‘several leaks and health and safety issues'.

The situation has been made worse by the closure of nearby Doncaster Magistrates’ Court due to Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in October of last year, another blow to the South Yorkshire courts estate.

Mike Jones, a member of the Law Society’s criminal law committee, is based in the area and said: "It will be impossible for Sheffield Crown Court to utilise the old Doncaster Crown Court, which has only one courtroom as the Doncaster magistrates’ have been sitting there for a few months - their building is due to take 9-12 months to fix.

"Sheffield Magistrates’ Court limps along and has had regular closures due to unresolved problems with the heating system. We often decamp to the Crown Court as the cells often reach below acceptable temperatures. The structure is generally falling apart."

Law Society president Nick Emmerson added: "We are seeing the degradation of the courts estate across England and Wales due to decades of underinvestment. Floods, ceilings caving in, broken heating, mould – the list of the examples we hear from our members goes on.

"The shambolic state of our courts contributes to the soaring backlog of cases waiting to be heard and strains to breaking point a criminal justice system that is already on its knees. National figures show the Crown Court outstanding caseload continues to rise, standing at 65,077 in November 2023. The government’s own unambitious target of reducing the Crown Court backlog to 53,000 by March 2025  seems even more unrealistic.

"The cost of repairs to flood damage to Sheffield Crown Court may slow down still further the general renewal of the court estate that is vitally needed to keep the wheels of justice turning."

The HMCTS spokesperson continued: "We spent over £175 million on court maintenance and repairs in the two years to April 2023 and are investing a further £220 million over the next two years to maintain the heritage of the estate while ensuring it is equipped with the latest technology to deliver modern justice, as well as improving accessibility for all court users."