The Crown Prosecution Service has been summoned to appear in court next week after a law firm complained that £3,600 of wasted costs remains unpaid.

A client of Philip Somarakis (pictured), partner at London firm Gordon Dadds, was acquitted of drink-driving (he denied the charge) at Greenwich Magistrates’ Court last September. A wasted costs order of £3,600 was made against the CPS, to be paid by 20 October.

Somarakis said he has had to chase the CPS for payment and has yet to receive a proper explanation as to why the costs have not been paid.

Somarakis made an enquiry with the Magistrates’ Courts Fines department to find out how the order could be enforced, but was told the department could not enforce it.

After researching the law and procedure regarding enforcement, Somarakis discovered he could make a written complaint to the magistrates’ court that made the original order and ask the court to use its powers. Somarakis’ client is also seeking costs incurred in enforcing the court order.

The complaint will be heard at Bexley Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

A CPS spokesperson said the court order required it to pay Somarakis’ client in person, and that the authority had made ‘repeated requests’ for information of his bank details in order to process the payment, or alternatively, his authority to make payments to his solicitors on his behalf.

He added: ‘We have not received the appropriate written permission from [the client] nor been provided with the necessary bank details, therefore the CPS has been unable to make the payment.’