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'It was reported during the trial that solicitor and client were in regular telephone contact'

How do Tuckers know that the person on the other end of the telephone, who purports to be Jack Shepherd, is in fact their client? Do they not have a professional obligation to ensure that it is indeed their client who is giving them instructions and not someone fraudulently passing themselves of as Jack Shepherd?

'..... senior partner Richard Egan said he was not aware of Shepherd’s whereabouts .....'

Whilst accepting that it is a long time since last I undertook criminal defence work, it would surprise me to learn that the legal aid certificate, issued for the purpose of Shepherd's defence, automatically extends to an appeal. Surely a fresh application would have to be made and that would have to be signed by the applicant? Assuming this to be the case and that Shepherd did not go to Tuckers' office to sign the application form and he is not in the UK, surely they must have sent it to him - in which case, how can they not know his whereabouts unless the form was sent to a poste restante or a care of address.

This seems to be a very rum state of affairs.