Procedure during a Crown Court trial—summing up and directing the jury

Produced in partnership with Leon Kazakos QC of 2 Hare Court

Practice notes

Procedure during a Crown Court trial—summing up and directing the jury

Produced in partnership with Leon Kazakos QC of 2 Hare Court

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the procedure which must be followed during the latter stages of a Crown Court trial and sentencing in accordance with CrimPR, SI 2020/759 and the Criminal Practice Directions.

For information on the initial stages of a Trial on indictment and on the hearing of evidence in a Crown Court trial, see Practice Note: Procedure during a Crown Court trial—arraignment, trial requirements and evidence.

Closing speeches at the end of the evidence: prosecution and defence

At the conclusion of the evidence, the prosecutor may make final representations, where:

•
the defendant has a legal representative
•
the defendant has called at least one witness, other than the defendant him or herself, to give evidence in person about the facts of the case, or
•
the court so permits

A closing speech should assist the jury understand the prosecution case, not seek to entertain or otherwise bring the case to life. In R v Solloway, prosecuting counsel in his closing speech described the

Jurisdiction(s):

United Kingdom

Key definition:

ACT definition

What does ACT mean?

Association of Corporate Treasurers.

��Ӱ��