Liverpool criminal lawyers vote for 'work to rule'

Criminal lawyers in Liverpool have voted for a 'work to rule' against the CPS, which would require strict enforcement of the criminal procedure rules.

The vote was held as part of this morning's strike or 'half day of inaction' by criminal lawyers across the country. There were protests, led by the Criminal Bar Association, outside crown courts from Southwark in London to Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol and Cardiff.

At the Old Bailey, the Press Association reported that all but one of the 18 courts were empty or locked and the legal benches in Court 16, where there was a terrorism trial, were deserted.

The judge was reported to have told the jury: "You can see the rather lonely position I am in."

James Parry (pictured), partner at Parry Welch Lacey in Liverpool, said around 60 solicitors met at the Royal Victoria Rowing Club this morning, including lawyers from "virtually every firm in Merseyside that does criminal law".

Parry, who last month secured a motion of no confidence in the Law Society leadership for mishandling negotiations with justice secretary Chris Grayling, said: "We're going to insist that the CPS complies with all its requirements prior to trial. If not, we will seek to have them compelled to do so."

As examples, Parry said the CPS should serve unused material in accordance with the two-week limit rather than two or three days before trial, and witness statements should be served promptly, rather than a day before the trial.

"We're not going to be as co-operative in covering up the mistakes of others as we have been," he said. "The CPS is letting people down.

"We are the oil that keeps much of the engine of criminal justice going. If people don't give us the assistance we need, why should we help them?

"The battle starts straight away and we will consider over the next few weeks what extra measures we should take."

In London, rather than attending court before 2pm, 250 lawyers attended a training session at Islington Assembly Hall, organised by the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association and the Criminal Law Solicitors Association.

Nigel Lithman QC, chairman of the CBA, said this morning: "We cannot win this battle without the combined efforts of ourselves and our solicitor colleagues and I have seen the resolve of not just the CLSA and LCCSA membership but solicitors up and down the country."

Lithman quoted Lord Macdonald, the former DPP, as saying 'Chris Grayling is in danger of destroying something he doesn't understand'. Lithman added that he was meeting the justice secretary next week.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman commented: "We entirely agree lawyers should be paid fairly for their work, and believe our proposals do just that. We also agree legal aid is a vital part of our justice system - that's why we have to find efficiencies to ensure it remains sustainable and available to those most in need of a lawyer."