The Chair of the Criminal Bar Association has warned a committee of MPs that if the barristers’ strike is not resolved there could be a situation where “you have people on the streets who you would rather not be on the streets.”
Kirsty Brimelow QC, giving evidence to the Justice Select Committee on Tuesday, said a judge in Bristol last week refused to extend the custody time limits for a defendant and released them on bail ahead of their trial.
Brimelow said the judge had said, “the state has had many months to resolve the current dispute” and added, “Today’s predicament arises precisely because of the chronic and predictable consequences long-term underfunding.”…