I have reached the end of my tether, with the help of the Legal Services Commission Criminal Defence Service.

I realised that the end was in sight when I visited its website on 12 July. The duty rota for our scheme had been published on 10 July. Excitedly, I clicked on the relevant document. Sadly, it was the same rota as that originally produced.

The website explained that the incomprehensible allocation of slots was due to the fact that this was undertaken at random – no doubt concurrently with the LSC’s World Cup office sweep. I noted that an updated rota was promised for our scheme, as that already issued was ‘missing some important information’, viz no allocation for Saturday morning courts.

I visited their site a day later. The moment at which I arrived at the termination of my tether was 7.45am on 13 July. Slots had now been allocated for Saturday morning courts, including Saturday 25 December. Courts do not sit on Christmas Day. I expect further ‘enqueries’ (sic) will be made of the organisation that frequently tells us how to run our businesses.

Rotas are to be reissued in three months. To bring some semblance of organisation, I suggest that the LSC engages Paul the Octopus.

David Hewitt , Carr Hewitt & Co, Heywood, Lancs