Barrister strike sees 4 murder accused set free

STRIKING barristers have been warned their actions could have ‘profound consequences’ after four murder defendants were released from jail due to delays.

The trial of the four alleged killers has been postponed by barristers’ industrial action in a row over pay.

As a result, a judge ruled they could no longer be held in jail on remand. Up to 100 suspects could be similarly freed over the coming month, it is understood.

Prosecutors applied at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday for ‘custody time limits’ to be extended so the four could be held on remand until their trial begins.

The defendants, who cannot be identified, are accused of involvement in the fatal stabbing of 40-year-old Keith Green in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in February.

But the Recorder of Oxford, Judge Ian Pringle, refused the application.

In a full ruling published yesterday, he said: ‘I do not see such a course of action as being correct in law and it does not amount to a “good and sufficient cause” to extend the custody time limit.’ Yesterday, in a similar case, a judge in Leicester sanctioned the release of a defendant facing charges of supplying Class A drugs.

A Whitehall source said: ‘Incidents like this are a stark reminder of the risks that arise when barristers hold the justice system to ransom. Their actions could have profound consequences.’

The Ministry of Justice has offered defence barristers a 15 per cent pay rise for legal aid-funded defence cases which open from the end of this month.

But the Criminal Bar Association is demanding a 25 per cent increase and wants it backdated.

Insiders said scores more defendants are expected to apply for their release in the next month because they have been held in jail awaiting trial for too long.

They could include defendants accused of violent crimes.

A legal source said: ‘There are likely to be a hundred of these applications in the coming month. It really is the worst of all worlds. Potentially dangerous people will be released into the community, confidence in the justice system will be undermined and people will be left fearful.’

The source added: ‘It is a crisis, and it should not be happening.’

‘It really is the worst of all worlds’