Old Bailey sells silk scarves as first merchandise

The first Old Bailey merchandise has gone on sale for charity with silk scarves fit for a King's Counsel.

The scarves, which come in two colours, are said to capture the grandeur of the famous London courthouse.

Proceeds are going to the Sheriffs' and Recorder's Fund, a charity that supports the rehabilitation of ex-convicts.

The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft KC, called on the creative talents of his son Matthew.

Matthew made a scarf for Judge Lucraft wife's 60th birthday.

Judge Lucraft, who is the charity's vice-president, said he had wanted the design to be "instantly recognisable".

"I mentioned my wife's scarf to other judges and one said, 'why doesn't Matthew design something for the Old Bailey?'

"He managed to capture on the scarf so many aspects of the Old Bailey: the Grand Hall, the figure of justice on the dome, Court One, Dead Man's Walk, both old and new entrances to the building."

Judge Lucraft added: "It's just very evocative of the grandeur of the court as a whole."

Matthew Lucraft, 32, set to work on the Old Bailey scarf last summer by sketching images on A3 paper.

The architectural designer, from London, said: "It was something that my dad had in his mind and had been mulling over for a little while.

"I have never worked in making products before. There was no really fixed brief.

"It was more to find interesting corners or spaces of the Old Bailey that could be combined into a quadrant format that would work on a square scarf.

"I found this company that print on silk and it came out really well."

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