Rhys Jones: Teenage accused still looking for defence QC

Aug 29 2008

A teenager accused of murdering schoolboy Rhys Jones has been left without a QC one month before the trial.

The 17-year-old is without a top barrister because of a row over legal aid with the Government’s Legal Services Commission.

And it is also possible the trial - scheduled for October 2 at Liverpool Crown Court - could be delayed because of the wrangle.

The Legal Services Commission has classed the trial as a Very High Costs Case and is insisting the alleged killer’s lawyers should come from a small panel of lawyers who have signed up to a fixed rate agreement.

But the list is very small and the teenager’s solicitors - James Benson and Company - have applied for a Judicial Review at the High Court in a bid to ensure they can still represent him.

Jonathan Duffy, a barrister who represented the defendant today at a pre-trial hearing said the LSC had not responded to a High Court deadline of August 25 to file evidence against the review.

He said because of that, it was unlikely the review would be heard on September 11 - the scheduled date - and the defence might have to apply for an adjournment of the trial.

But this afternoon an LSC spokesman said its response to the James Benson review was filed on time.

He said: "We filed our first defence and had the opportunity to file further supporting evidence in relation to it and we chose not to do so on the advice of counsel.

"The first defence was already there."

During today’s hearing at Liverpool Crown Court - which the shaven headed defendant attended wearing rosary beads - Judge Henry Globe QC, the Recorder of Liverpool said: "The apparent default in the procedure designed to expedite those proceedings is something which gives me great cause for concern in the context of having some part to play in the possibility of an application to adjourn this trial.

"I have no doubt the administrative court will be equally concerned about orders not being abided by."

Today’s hearing was the first Rhys’s parents Stephen, 45, and Melanie, 42, have not attended.

Their son was shot dead on August 22 last year as he walked home from football training in Croxteth Park.

The alleged killer is due to stand trial with six others.