Fraud trial halted after barrister boycott

Posted By: James

Friday 2nd May 2014

Fraud trial halted after barrister boycott

Judge Anthony Leonard, QC, has halted a financial fraud trial at Southwark Crown Court because defence barristers refused to represent the defendants in protest at the Government’s cuts in legal aid fees. The judge agreed with Alexander Cameron, QC, the brother of the Prime Minister, that the five bankers could not receive a fair trial in the absence of any sufficiently qualified lawyers being available to represent them. Lee Adams, a solicitor advocate with Hughmans who represented four of the defendants, described the decision as “entirely unprecedented”, while Philip Smith of Tuckers Solicitors, representing the fifth defendant, called it “staggering” and said it was “very brave”. He added that he hoped the decision would be a “wake-up call” for the Government. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which brought the case, is to consider appealing the decision. The Guardian suggests that the ruling will also affect more than a dozen “very-high cost” cases scheduled to be heard at crown courts in Southwark, Birmingham and Nottingham, which involve at least one defendant who has no legal representation because of legal aid difficulties. Other cases that may be affected include the Libor rate-fixing cases and FCA cases arising from Operation Tabernula, one of the largest investigations into insider dealing in the City.

 

[Would you like to leave a comment?]