Head of Trinity's Criminal group, Caroline Goodwin Q.C. was this morning interviewed by BBC Radio Newcastle's Alfie Joey to discuss the day of action following the Criminal Bar Association's ballot.
Summarising the purpose of the action, Caroline Goodwin Q.C. stated:
"In a nutshell, we are seeking to have a properly resourced Criminal Justice system and it just is not at the moment and the net result of that is a huge number of specialist practitioners are basically voting with their feet and leaving the profession."
Pointing out the importance of Criminal Legal Aid, she added:
"...the most vulnerable individuals in our society, sadly and regrettably find themselves in trouble and they need help, and that help is given by the Criminal Legal Aid system and it just is not being resourced...What you need here are the right people to prosecute cases and you need the right people to defend cases, so that the guilty are proven guilty and the innocent are proven innocent, it's just fundamental, it's a basic need."
Responding to concerns over the impact of the action, Caroline Goodwin Q.C. said:
"Every single barrister who has made a decision today that they are not going to be in Court has adhered to their professional rules, their professional obligations and no defendant, not one individual, will be left in a vulnerable position."
The interview follows the publication of a letter signed by Caroline Goodwin Q.C., together with Head of Chambers, Toby Hedworth Q.C. and 70 other leading criminal barristers, to The Times in response to the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon's suggestion of disciplinary sanctions against members of the Criminal Bar taking industrial action.
The full BBC Radio Newcastle interview can be found on BBC Sounds here at 02:18:42.