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England & WalesCourt Judiciary
Guidance

Child Defendants in the Crown Court

Published 2025-06-30Last updated 2025-06-30

This is the fifth edition of the bench book, previously titled Youth Defendants in the Crown Court and first published in March 2021.

This bench book aims to gather in one place everything relating to child defendants that a Crown Court judge needs to know and it should be considered an essential judicial reference tool.

The Judicial College is grateful to Her Honour Judge Heather Norton and His Honour Judge Gareth Branston, the joint authors, without whom this publication would not exist.