YORK Crown Court will be on its travels again on Monday, following the arson attack on its normal home earlier this year.

Since the arsonists struck, York judges have been sitting at Leeds Crown Court, apart from a quickly-arranged emergency sitting held at York Magistrates Court the day after the fire.

But now judges, witnesses, barristers and solicitors and defendants face the longer journey to Middlesbrough, as senior court staff have decided all York cases are to be heard at Teesside Crown Court from Monday.

York Crown Court will sit in Middlesbrough for at least two months, as the courthouse in The Castle, York, is not expected to be ready for court sittings again until after Easter.

Workmen have been carrying out repairs to its entrance hall and other fire-affected parts of the building since the week of the arson attack and court staff have continued to work in the building, though under difficult conditions.

However, there are still weeks of work to make the Grade I listed 18th century courthouse - purpose-built for the Assizes and the setting for many famous trials - fit for full use.

Updated: 10:12 Friday, January 28, 2005