The Old Bailey: Eight Centuries of Crime, Cruelty and Corruption [Paperback]

Theresa Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 9, 2003

This is the history of the Old Bailey, an institution as flawed as all man-made attempts at justice are doomed to be. In the beginning there was barbarity and injustice. The court was thronged with a restless, muttering mob eager for the verdicts of "guilty" so they could enjoy public executions, hurling abuse and missiles at those with the noose around their neck. Today we fool ourselves that we have evolved beyond barbarism, but are made uneasy by the continuing exposure of miscarriages of justice. The Old Bailey has since seen its usual parade of misfits. With a mixture of racist murderers, road-rage killers, and lying and cheating top politicians, it is as difficult as ever to separate the good from the bad, but the ugly are easily recognisable. Ugliness is the theme here as we tour the courts of long ago, meeting the Dracula-garbed court chaplains, drunken, brutal judges, cold-blooded hangmen, through to the new breed of pseudo-respectable criminals of today.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Compelling curiosities, horrific brutality, and cases of routine corruption are to be found in the history of London's Central Criminal Court--better known as the Old Bailey. Theresa Murphy sets the flaws of the modern British criminal-justice system in the context of Old Bailey history through a fascinating collection of historical anecdotes and outlines of more recent cases. More descriptive than analytical, The Old Bailey attains a grisly, chamber-of-horrors sort of appeal in its coverage of gruesome events. It can also be highly entertaining in its lighter, less macabre passages. Murphy provides sparks of contention as her criticisms of the system's continued flaws occasionally pierce the historical narrative. The courts in which judges are nurtured, she states, are "narrow and hardening"; even now, they are places of "ludicrous ill-fitting wigs" and "archaic language peppered with hypocrisy." She illustrates how today, as in the past, a high degree of power rests in the hands of judges, ensuring that "anomalies in sentencing must be expected and accepted." Posing questions rather than providing answers, this book should appeal not only to those who relish the more unsavory elements of social history, but also to anyone interested in pondering the development and current state of Britain's judicial system. --Karen Tiley, Amazon.co.uk --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

The author of over 30 books, Theresa Murphy has written on diverse subjects ranging from television comedy, through nautical history, to worldwide travel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Mainstream Publishing; Rev Upd edition (October 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184018762X
• ISBN-13: 978-1840187625
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,986,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Injustice Marks Development of British Criminal System, September 9, 2000

By 

Curt Harrington (Long Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Old Bailey: Eight Centuries of Crime, Cruelty and Corruption (Hardcover)

Injustice has marked the Development of British Criminal System, but reviewers of history need to "get past" the role of capital punishment in contributing to that history.... Generally, as all areas of the law become more refined, improved procedures and simply more advanced ways of administering justice similarly advance. There are only two drawbacks in the book; the first is an initial pounding criticism of capital punishment, a biasing filter through which each part of the book is unfortunately set into conformance. The second is a desire, at least on my part, for a complete set of footnotes and case cites. Far from a grisly or chamber-of-horrors treatment, and once the death penalty bias is filtered out, I have found the book to be an insightful look at the development of the British criminal justice system from beginnings which included graft, corruption, and an expectedly depraved jail system. The book illustrates the early benchmarks from which the British criminal justice system has progressed on its way toward greater due process, increased fairness and more humane imprisonment. Some unusual injustices and odd circumstances illustrate examples of how unusual exceptions can easily arise even from a system on its way to improvement, but especially where it began from a starting point of imperfection. Of particular interest was a chapter on the effect on the criminal justice system during World War II. I highly recommend the book for medium to light reading material. [e-mail]