The father of a sex-assault victim is backing barristers’ strike action, even though it could add to the court delays that drove his son to attempt suicide.
The fourth week of the action, overpay, will last for five days, adding to trial delays in England and Wales. The government says the strikes are exacerbating court backlogs, but the lawyers say the criminal-justice system has been grinding to a halt for years. Despite the prospect of further delays, the father says he supports their case.
The Ministry of Justice says the courts’ backlog rose during the pandemic but it is making progress in tackling it. After a three-year wait, James says the trial was finally scheduled for two weeks ago but then suddenly postponed until March. He blames disarray in the criminal-justice system, compounded by the strike, for leaving his son in limbo for so long. Barristers will continue to hold week-long strikes, every other week from August – and courts will be further disrupted when security staff walks out over pay on 29 July and 2,3, and 4 August.
James’s son, “Joe”, was 13 when he revealed he had been sexually assaulted several times. You know, that little light at the end of the tunnel has well and truly been snuffed out, yet again.” “The current strike is now forcing victims to wait for justice, despite a generous £7,000 pay rise for the typical criminal barrister coming in September. We encourage barristers to put victims first and prevent any further delays.
