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“Today's guidance states that criminal trials involving an unrepresented defendant usually take longer than cases where there is a defence advocate.“

This seems to contemplate the possibility of trials proceeding with defendants unrepresented.

Forgive my naivety, but surely the right to a fair trial requires the state to provide every defendant who wants one with a suitable advocate?

If the state has failed to provide one, how can the trial proceed at all?

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