e only on indictment appearsbefore a magistrates’ court the court shall send him forthwith to the Crown Court for trial. There are provisions allowing eitherway and summary offences related to the indictable only offence to be sent as well. There is a procedure similar to that underthe transfer provisions for application to be made to the Crown Court to dismiss the charge. Proceedings against children and young persons Proceedings against children and young persons (that is people aged over 10 but under 18) are for the most part dealt with inthe youth court as summary offences. However, the youth court may decide that certain ‘grave crimes’ need to be committedto the Crown Court for trial. Where the youth court so decides, a case may be also committed to the Crown Court, or remittedto another youth court, for sentence. In some instances older juveniles can be dealt with in an adult court where charged jointlywith an adult. There are also provisions for a youth turning 18 to be remitted to an adult magistrates’ court for trial or sentence.*******CROWN COURTS Committals for Trial Cases for trial are committed, transferred or sent to the Crown Court. See MAGISTRATES’ COURTS PROCEDURESabove.These cases normally first appear in the Crown Court on a date given them by the magistrates’ courts, in liaison with theappropriate Crown Court centre, for a plea and directions hearing (PDH). The indictment (statement of charge(s) faced by thedefendant) must be preferred by the prosecution within twenty-eight days of committal (etc), subject to a judge allowing moretime, and signed by an officer of the court. If the case is to be contested, the trial date may be fixed at the PDH or put the caseinto a warned (standby) list for a particular period. If the defendant pleads guilty, he may be sentenced there and then, orremanded for reports to a future date. Transferred cases (children / serious fraud) are, by l...
