Allocation and sending procedure

A procedure where the youth or adult magistrates’ court can send a case to a Crown Court. This usually takes place at the first appearance.  

For children, there is a presumption that any criminal case with a child defendant is to be heard in the youth court.  However, the court has the discretion to try a child somewhere other than the youth court, and therefore undertake an allocation procedure, if the child has an adult co-defendant and if the offence is a serious offence under CDA 1998 s51A(3).