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No one would argue about giving a client £5 for breakfast if he was left in the cells overnight, especially because of his solicitors. However, how on earth does that compare to thousands of pounds in CASH given over a period of time to a client who is a drug addict?

And we are all forgetting the obvious pressure it will create, especially in publicly funded areas of work. Can you imagine "I would instruct you to defend me but Bung & Bloggs were willing to pay my "gas bill" so unless you are willing to be as charitable, off you go." This is a very dangerous and slippery slope. It will serve to discredit the profession in the long run and is, I still maintain, utterly disgraceful: clients should not be paid by clients. No exceptions. If you want to be in charity, go work for one.