Judges 'wrong' to bail defendants due to barristers' strike, High Court told

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Two judges were 'wrong' to bail defendants facing trial for serious crimes due to barristers' strike action, the High Court was told.

An alleged rapist, two men accused of causing grievous bodily harm and an alleged sexual offender have been released on conditional bail due to the unavailability of defence barristers taking part in industrial action.

Under the law, defendants can be held in custody for almost six months after being charged, while awaiting their trial. Judges often allow prosecutors to extend the amount of time a defendant remains in custody awaiting trial if there is a 'good and sufficient' reason.

But three judges across Greater Manchester and Bolton have refused to extend the period, known as 'custody time limits'. READ MORE: Judges free defendants accused of rape and GBH on bail in Greater Manchester as criminal justice system reaches crisis point Trials in all three cases had been due to take place this month, but had to be abandoned because the defendants had no lawyer to represent them due to barristers taking industrial action in a row over Legal Aid, the scheme which pays lawyers for publicly funded work.