A senior UK Crown Court Judge has been obliged to formally halt a complex fraud trial because expert defense barristers are refusing to represent the defendants in protest at 30% cuts in legal aid fees reports The Guardian.
In a ruling which is unprecedented, Judge Anthony Leonard QC stayed the proceedings against five men in an alleged land bank fraud has thrown into doubt at least eight other financial prosecutions including Libor rate-fixing cases. He explained it was highly unlikely lawyers with the appropriate level of skill would be available until 2015 at the earliest. Fraud cases are considered to be the most complex criminal cases under UK law.
Licensed Thai, UK and US lawyers at Chaninat & Leeds are experienced in advising on complex criminal and fraud cases in Thailand.
The ruling will increase pressure on the UK justice secretary, Chris Grayling, who has pushed through the legal aid cuts in the face of fierce opposition from the legal profession. Although UK barristers have now largely abandoned the protests, many are still refusing to deal with highly complex and thus costly and timely cases.
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