A fair cop for the law

The rebuilding of bridges between the police and solicitors began last week when Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, met lawyers for the first time since his attack on them in March.

Sir John held a private meeting at the Law Society with the Society's criminal law committee, the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA), the Criminal Law Solicitors Association and the Criminal Bar Association to discuss ways of improving the criminal justice system.

In a speech at Leicester University in March, Sir John accused lawyers of 'riding roughshod over the rights of terrified victims and intimidating witnesses', and said courts 'encourage crime' and 'treat victims with utter contempt'.

He was less confrontational at the meeting last week, saying he recognised that defence lawyers are on the other side from the police and that he strongly supported the jury system.

Sir John argued that witnesses were being deterred from court appearances by excessive adjournments and that not enough was being done in the design of courts to protect them from intimidation.

While there was general agreement on the latter point and that the police and Crown Prosecution Service were underfunded, the legal groups argued that adjournments resulted in such poor pay that lawyers would do everything in their power to avoid them if possible.

LCCSA president June Venters said that as well as the police, defence solicitors are experiencing under funding, which is leading to a recruitment crisis, adding: 'I welcome all agencies respecting the different roles within the criminal justice system and working together.'

Sir John said: 'I have never known such will for cohesive improvements as there is currently in relation to crime and criminal justice issues.'

Andrew Towler