Number of court cases adjourned as criminal defence solicitors withdraw services over legal aid row

Judge adjourned almost 50 cases that appeared before her at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

The majority of cases were given new dates in the new court term beginning next October with one case, in which a man was due to be sentenced for assault causing harm to a woman, being adjourned to next Monday.

A number of cases have been adjourned in the Criminal Courts of Justice due to criminal defence solicitors withdrawing their services in a dispute over a proposed new legal aid payment model for district courts.

Judge Orla Crowe adjourned almost 50 cases that appeared before her in court 5 in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The cases were either first appearances in the circuit court, for mention, for arraignment — in which an accused pleads guilty or elects for trial — or for sentence. The accused people were both on bail and in custody.

The majority of cases were given new dates in the new court term beginning next October with one case, in which a man was due to be sentenced for assault causing harm to a woman, being adjourned to next Monday.

In this case, Simon Donagh BL, defending said he had no instructions on Wednesday due to the withdrawal of services, but as his client is in custody, he requested an earlier sentence date.

Judge Crowe agreed to adjourn the case to Monday, but warned counsel he was “taking his chances” as the list for that day is already full.

The other eight cases listed for sentence on Wednesday, in which accused people have already pleaded guilty, included offences such as criminal damage, possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of explosives and burglary. Each of these cases were adjourned to the new term.

One pre-trial hearing, in relation to a money laundering offence, in the list before Judge Crowe went ahead. This man is on remand in custody.

The case of a juvenile due to be sentenced before Judge Ronan Munro on road traffic and assault charges was also adjourned due to the strike. Judge Munro noted the solicitor on record had written a letter to the court and told the young man his case would be dealt with on Friday.

Four cases listed for trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court were also adjourned.

Trials that are currently ongoing in both Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and the Central Criminal Court continued without disruption.