Harrow Crown Court in west London, which was forced to close three years ago, has reopened following a £26 million safety overhaul.

Eight courtrooms, some of which have been newly refurbished, are now open. They are also wheelchair accessible, equipped with the latest custom technology, and ‘greener, more efficient and flexible enough to handle a wide range of cases’, the Ministry of Justice said.

Courts minister Sarah Sackman and London victims commissioner Andrea Simon (pictured above) visited the court for its reopening.

Harrow was forced to close in August 2023 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found in the building during preliminary work to improve the roof. The building, built in 1991, was deemed unsafe.

Sackman said: 'We inherited a justice system in crisis — backlogs at record levels, courts left to crumble, and victims waiting far too long for justice.

'Reopening Harrow Crown Court is a major boost to London’s overstretched court system, cutting delays and getting justice moving again for Londoners.'

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Simon added: ‘Victims are waiting years for their day in court, and even when they get there are often faced with a difficult and trauma-inducing experience. The reopening of Harrow Crown Court not only brings some capacity back into the system, but the investment in modernising the court will I hope lead to a better and more supportive experience for victims.’

While Harrow was closed cases were relocated to other courts.