Portsmouth Crown Court hearing adjourned after barrister writes letter to judge explaining absence amid strike action

A pre-trial review case at Portsmouth Crown Court had to be shelved after a barrister sent in a letter to the judge explaining they would be unable to attend amid the ongoing industrial action.

Barristers across the country started an indefinite, uninterrupted strike, at the start of the month in an escalation of industrial action over pay which began in April.

The Criminal Bar Association is demanding a 25 per cent rise in legal aid fees for representing defendants who could not otherwise afford lawyers.

Judge Richard Shepherd said he received a letter from the barrister that explained due to the government’s position he was ‘not here’.

There was also confusion over whether the defendant, who was absent, had been informed of the hearing.

But the judge gave him the benefit of the doubt, though insisted his lawyers ‘must inform him to attend’ the next hearing.