Reading Crown Court Listings: Old Shire Hall and Castle Street

Old Shire Hall or Castle Street: Which Building Is Your Hearing In?

Check the courtroom number first. Reading's Crown Court list names two buildings, and Courts 7 and 8 are not at Old Shire Hall.

In every Reading list stored on this site from 6 to 15 October 2026, Court 7 and Court 8 sat in the magistrates' court on Castle Street. The list shows them with the building name "Reading Magistrates Court". All other courtrooms, from Court 1 to Court 6, Court 9 and the Court 99 floater, sat at Old Shire Hall on The Forbury.

The two buildings are about 0.7 km apart. Walking between them means crossing the town centre, so a mistake costs real time on a morning with a 10am start. If your letter only says "Reading Crown Court", look up your case on the list for the date and read the building line under the courtroom.

Castle Street is also where Reading criminal cases begin, in the magistrates' court. So a defendant may already know that building from an earlier hearing. A hearing there is still a Crown Court hearing, before a judge or a Recorder. Trials happen there too, so a jury can sit at Castle Street.

Reading Crown Court Listings, Line by Line

Each line of the Reading daily list tells you the room, the time, the type of hearing and the judge. Here is what the less obvious parts mean at this court.

• Courtroom and building. "Court 5 · Reading" means Old Shire Hall; "Court 8 · Reading Magistrates Court" means Castle Street.
• Before. The judge's title, such as His Honour Judge or Her Honour Judge. A Recorder is a part-time judge with the same powers in that hearing.
• Not before. The hearing will not start earlier than that time, though it may start later.
• Court 99. A holding room for a floater trial: a trial with no courtroom yet, called on when a room becomes free.
• Reporting restrictions may apply. A flag on the line, not the details of the order.

Case numbers come in two main shapes on the Reading list. Most criminal cases carry a long reference beginning with a police force code, such as 43SW followed by numbers. Others carry a short court number starting with a letter. On the Reading lists these began with T, S or U.

The U numbers matter here. On every listed day in the period, two or three lines read "For Application under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act" with a U reference and no defendant. These are usually applications by investigators, for example for an order to produce material under Schedule 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. They are not trials, and no defendant appears on the line.

For what each list type is, see the guides to the Crown Court daily list, the firm list and the warned list.

When Does the Next Reading List Appear?

The list for the next working day usually appears in the afternoon. For example, the Reading list for Thursday 15 October 2026 was last updated by HMCTS at 3.59pm on Wednesday 14 October.

Both times show in the panel above, so you can see when HMCTS last changed the list and when this site last checked it. Lists can still change after that, including on the morning itself. Trials that finish early pull other cases forward, and a floater can be given a room at short notice.

Friday's list covers Friday only. Monday's Reading list therefore normally appears on the Friday afternoon before, and nothing appears for weekends or bank holidays. The guide to when lists are published explains the wider timetable, including the firm and warned lists that fix trial dates further ahead.

If you are a witness or defendant in a trial, the date on the warned list is not a fixed day. Instead, it is a window, and you may get only a day's notice. Keep the court and your solicitor up to date with a phone number you answer.

What Filled the Reading Lists in October 2026?

Trials led. In the eight Reading lists stored on this site from Tuesday 6 to Thursday 15 October 2026, the site counted 226 public hearings, about 28 a day.

The daily rhythm showed some clear habits in that period:

• Busiest day. Tuesday 6 October, with 34 hearings, including 11 Plea and Trial Preparation Hearings. That day Court 7 at Castle Street alone carried 11 hearings.
• Sentencing. Friday 9 October had 8 sentence hearings, more than any other day.
• Breach hearings. Both Wednesdays, 7 and 14 October, carried clusters of Breach of Order hearings, with 7 and 5 respectively.
• Castle Street share. Courts 7 and 8 carried 63 of the 226 hearings, between 6 and 12 a day.

Start times were just as steady. Of the hearings with a fixed start, almost half were set for 10am, and most others were set for 11am, 12 noon or 2pm. Only one hearing in the period started before 10am, at 9.45am. The latest fixed starts were at 3pm.

The Crown Prosecution Service was named on 130 lines. Another 67 lines named a different prosecuting body, and the rest named none. Three hearings in the period were marked as taking place by video link. Eight days cannot show a trend, so treat these figures as a picture of autumn 2026, not a rule.

Why Is a Case or Name Missing From the Reading List?

Usually because the list was never meant to show it. On the Reading lists from 6 to 15 October 2026, between 2 and 8 lines a day carried a reporting-restriction flag, and this site leaves out entries for youth defendants.

Other common reasons are:

1. Wrong date. The hearing moved, or it is on the warned list and has not yet been fixed.
2. No name on the line. U-numbered applications and some restricted entries carry no defendant, and this site masks first names.
3. Wrong court. The case may still be at the magistrates' court, or at a different Crown Court.
4. Not yet published. Tomorrow's list may not be out yet.

Search by the case number on your paperwork with the site search, not by name. If the case still does not show, contact the court using the details below. The guide on why a case is not listed covers the less common reasons.

Getting to The Forbury and Castle Street on Foot, by Train or by Car

Old Shire Hall stands on The Forbury, on the north-east side of Reading town centre, next to Forbury Gardens. It is a short walk south-east of Reading station. Castle Street is a little further from the station, about 0.7 km to the south-west.

Castle Street is on the south-west side of the town centre, about 0.7 km from Old Shire Hall.

Leave extra time if you have to walk between the two. Both buildings run airport-style security, so add the queue at whichever door you use.

Directions from your location: Google Maps · Apple Maps

Reading station is served by Elizabeth line and Great Western Railway trains, among others. For anyone coming from Newbury, Wokingham or further along the Thames Valley, the train is usually simpler than driving into the centre. Jurors can claim a standard-class return fare.

Neither building offers parking to visitors. Old Shire Hall has no car park, although blue badge holders can arrange a space by calling the enquiries number first. Otherwise, use a public pay car park in the town centre and budget for a full day, because Crown Court lists rarely finish when expected.

Your Day at Reading Crown Court: Defendants, Witnesses, Family and Observers

Everyone goes through security, then finds the courtroom on the screens or asks at the enquiries counter. Tell the usher you have arrived, and what happens next depends on why you came.

If You Are the Defendant

Arrive at the building on your paperwork by 9.30am for a 10am hearing, and check the building first. If you are on bail, failing to turn up is a separate offence, so call your solicitor and the court at once if something goes wrong. A trial day often involves long waits between short bursts of activity. The defendant's guide explains each stage.

If You Are a Witness

The Witness Service is based at the court and can show you the courtroom beforehand. You can also ask to wait somewhere away from the defendant's family. Witnesses usually do not sit in the courtroom before giving evidence. Read the witness guide and call the Witness Service number in the contact section below.

If You Are Family or a Friend

You can usually sit in the public seats of the courtroom, but only after checking the room and building on the list. Phones must be off, and you cannot record or photograph anything. Some trials have moments when the public is asked to leave. The guide for family members at court covers sentencing days in detail.

If You Are Watching a Hearing

Students and observers are welcome at most hearings, so long as they stay quiet and keep their phones away. Pick a trial from the list rather than a short application, because applications can be over in minutes. The public gallery guide explains where to sit and how to behave.

Jury Service at Reading Crown Court: Parking, Expenses and the First Morning

Jury service at Reading usually lasts up to 10 working days. GOV.UK says to expect to be at court from about 10am to 5.30pm, with an earlier start on day one.

Your First Morning

Your summons gives the first-morning time and where to report. Bring your summons and photo ID, such as a passport or a photo driving licence.

You can bring a phone and use it in the jury assembly area, but it stays out of the deliberation room. There is no strict dress code, and jeans are fine. Bring a book, since much of the first day is waiting.

Parking, Travel and Expenses

Parking is the question Reading jurors ask most. Old Shire Hall has no juror car park, and GOV.UK tells jurors to check with the court whether parking costs will be paid. Mileage is claimable at 31.4p a mile by car. Ask the jury office before your first day, and keep every ticket and receipt.

The main jury service expenses on GOV.UK are:

Money is tight for many jurors, especially in the first week. You normally claim at the end of service and the payment arrives 7 to 10 working days later. However, GOV.UK says the court may pay during the trial in some cases, such as financial hardship. Tell the jury office early if that applies.

Trials Listed at Castle Street

If your trial is listed in Court 7 or Court 8, it will be heard at Castle Street, not at Old Shire Hall. Follow the jury staff's instructions about where to go each morning. Call the jury service line in the contact section if anything about your summons is unclear.

How Can You Find Out a Result or Sentence From Reading?

The list will not tell you. It shows hearings, not outcomes, and a line for sentence says nothing about the sentence passed.

To find out what happened, you have three realistic options:

1. Ask the court. Contact the enquiries team with the case number and hearing date. Staff decide what they can confirm.
2. Check the local press. Local papers such as the Reading Chronicle report some Reading Crown Court cases.
3. Look for sentencing remarks. The judiciary publishes remarks for only a small number of cases, so most Reading sentences never appear online.

Being listed for trial is not a finding of guilt. If your own case is involved, your solicitor is the best source for the outcome and for what happens next.

The 1861 Assize Courts Behind the Reading Listings

Old Shire Hall was built in 1861 as the Berkshire assize courts. Historic England's list entry for the Assize Courts, The Forbury records it as a Grade II building, first listed on 14 December 1978.

The entry describes a Baroque revival front in Bath stone, with a three-bay arcaded portico and Doric and Ionic columns. It says the building is "said to be by J B Clacy". Inside, the entry notes a large central hall, lit from the top and lined with a gallery, and extensive buildings to the rear.

Assizes were travelling courts, held a few times a year by visiting judges. They ended when the Courts Act 1971 created the Crown Court, which sits all year round. The Forbury building has served as Reading Crown Court since then.

How Do You Contact Reading Crown Court?

Use the enquiries details below for the Crown Court, including for hearings in Courts 7 and 8. The magistrates' court at Castle Street has its own phone line, which deals with magistrates' cases only.

Phone numbers, opening hours and facilities come from the official court finder and are checked regularly. Never pay anyone who contacts you unexpectedly claiming to be from the court. HMCTS warns that scammers copy court phone numbers and emails.

Which Other Court in Reading Might You Mean?

Reading has three court buildings, and only two of them hear Crown Court cases.

The county court on Friar Street deals with civil and family cases, such as money claims and child arrangements. Nobody is tried for a crime there.

• Reading Magistrates' Court and Family Court: Castle Street building that also hosts Crown Court Courts 7 and 8.
• Reading County Court and Family Court: Civil and family cases on Friar Street; not a criminal court.
• Reading County Court and Family Court, RG1 1HE (0.3 km away)
• Reading Magistrates' Court and Family Court, RG1 7TQ (0.7 km away)

Questions About Reading Crown Court Listings

The questions below come from searches and local forum threads about this court, including jury service.

For anything about a specific case, a solicitor or the court's enquiries team is the right place to ask.