Monday, March 14, 2011

Scottish Legal Aid Board

 The initial legal advice I received after my arrest in 2010 indicated that the complexities of my case were such that I would require an extremely high-calibre defence team. As I am by no stretch of the imagination a wealthy man, I applied for Legal Aid which was was duly awarded. I was then able to assemble a defence team which comprised Gerry Sweeney (human rights lawyer), John McLaughlin (junior counsel) and Donald Findlay QC (senior counsel).

 In January 2011 the Crown Office dropped the original charges against myself and replaced them with new charges. This change required me to re-apply for Legal Aid. I was advised by several people at the time that, although the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) is technically completely independent of the Crown Office, this situation looked as if it had been engineered to deny me Legal Aid and deprive me of the services of my high-calibre legal team.

 So it proved that my initial application was refused and now my appeal has been turned down as well.

 I find it hard to believe how I could be refused when it has recently been reported that both parties in a £10million divorce dispute have been awarded Legal Aid.

 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12493505

 It has also been pointed out to me that a senior SLAB employee, Douglas Haggarty, faced criminal charges in 2009 after being arrested with a rent boy in a shopping centre toilet. In this case the Procurator Fiscal decided to scrap court proceedings in favour of a "direct measure". It was never disclosed what this "direct measure" was, Haggarty did not face any professional sanctions from the Law Society of Scotland and he remains employed by SLAB. He was defended by Paul McBride QC, a member of the SLAB board who has been tipped to be the next Lord Advocate.
 
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2009/05/03/exclusive-legal-aid-chief-arrested-with-rent-boy-in-shopping-centre-toilet-78057-21328394/
 http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2009/08/15/legal-aid-chief-found-in-shop-toilet-with-rent-boy-keeps-job-86908-21598336/ 

7 comments:

  1. If your legal aid has been denied, does this mean that your defence team are going to abandon you?

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  2. this is blatant victimisation and just a continuation of the outrageous travesties of justice this case is renowned for.

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  3. SHOCKING, clearly an attempt to stop you being defended, why , to cover the cover up

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  4. John,

    Your question regarding my defence team is a very valid one. However I cannot answer it at this time as it do not wish to bring private discussions into the public arena.

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  5. Could some lawyer please tell me how Robert Green can qualify for legal aid one minute , have the charges dropped then have new charges offered then have his legal aid request refused, twice. Is it because it was Donald Findlay and Mr Sweeney or do the Scottish government just want to dispense with the illusion of a fair trial?

    So far I think he has been seen in camera twice and in the last year been dragged back to Grampian stazi region twice.

    Internet lizards aside that does seem a very strange course of event for what seem to me to be a civil matter.
    How many other breach of the peace cases have been treated this way?

    While we are at it how many other Lord Advocates get their legal work done by Levy Macrae for free ,pity Robert Green isnt extended the same courtesy.

    I m sure the Drum slapped her down about that but what a surprise it was missed in the BBC Shockland and STV.

    Does this not bother anyone else, lawyer or not, if there is nothing to this story why are they acting like a banana republic to bury it?

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  6. why is your court case being heard by a judge and not a jury? seems strange considering

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