On 1 October 2012, the Government will limit the recovery of defence costs to the legal aid rates. Which means, when the CPS pursue a worthless prosecution and a privately paying defendant obtains an acquittal, he or she can only recover from the Government what the lawyer would have been paid under the legal aid scheme: in simple non-technical language that means a pittance.

The Government say legal aid rates are adequate. This system pays hard pressed and usually young barristers £70 for to represent a defendant who is to receive a life sentence! This may involve travel to a far-flung court, a conference, reading a stack of paper plus the stress of talking to the client and family. Not to mention standing up to a judge and arguing what is often a very unpalatable case…Please.

What is this really about? It is simpler to make you pay! The Government know that not enough people will be short-changed to affect the voting figures, but the Government will save large sums. Remember, this is not money from so-called criminals, who use the legal aid system because they usually do not have an income. This is money from people who work and are caught up in the system.

Why pay for a solicitor when you can instruct a quality barrister for less in Guildford, Surrey and London?