City of Westminster Court


City of Westminster Court

The court where Julian Assange faced an extradition hearing.

Location: 70 Horseferry Road, Westminster

Description: The City of Westminster Magistrates' Court is a Magistrates' Court originally known as Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court. It was renamed in July 2006 following the closure of Bow Street Magistrates' Court in nearby Covent Garden.

Since then it became the court where the Chief Magistrate of England and Wales sits, and all extradition and terrorism-related cases pass through the court.

The uninspired court building was designed by C. A. Legerton and opened in 1974, and grew to house 8 courts. One regular lawyer there said the building had all the charisma of a Moscow munitions factory in the Stalin era.

It's proximity to New Scotland Yard has caused the court to be involved in a number of high profile cases.

Singer Amy Winehouse denied an assault charge here in 2009, and Wikileaker Julian Assange appeared here facing extradition in 2010. Both caused media frenzies, the latter having to be moved to a larger court in Woolwich.

Lord Justice Richards, on trial for allegedly flashing on a train, held up a pair of black Calvin Klein underpants in court here. He was eventually cleared.

In Summer 2011 the building was sold to a property developer.

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City of Westminster Court

The court where Julian Assange faced an extradition hearing.

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