COURT cases ground to a halt on Wednesday as solicitors went on strike.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court had to manage with just two duty solicitors throughout the day.

By lunchtime only four cases had been dealt with.

Solicitors across Colchester walked out in protest over proposed Government changes to legal aid, which they argue will lead to miscarriages of justice.

They joined hundreds of their colleagues across the country at meetings in London.

The strike was against plans to shave £220m from the £2billion legal aid budget.

Currently 1,400 firms nationally offer legal aid for criminal cases. The proposals would see it reduced to 400.

 

See Thursday's Gazette for the full story.