Solicitors walk out in pay row

Scores of defence solicitors in Berkshire have gone on strike in a dispute over pay.

Sixteen firms are backing the protest against plans to reduce the fees solicitors are paid for legal aid work at police stations.

Adonis Daniels, a partner in Reading law firm Criminal Law Advocates, said the weekend's action would see more people kept in custody without legal representation.

He said: "A lot of people in police stations won't get proper legal advice and may well be interviewed without representation.

This strike is not going to have any effect on the police whatsoever Thames Valley Police

"It's a recipe for miscarriages of justice.

"Very often you find miscarriages of justice occur because a suspect goes into a police station and doesn't have a solicitor present to assist them with regards to their case."

But Thames Valley Police bosses said the lack of weekend solicitors would not make any difference to people who had been arrested.

A spokeswoman said: "When people are taken into custody they are asked immediately if they want a solicitor.

"Then we call a national organisation which provides duty solicitors.

"So this strike is not going to have any effect on the police whatsoever."

The Legal Services Commission, which oversees the legal aid system, is looking to deal with an overspend in its budget by reducing the number of fees it pays solicitors.

The strikers said colleagues across the country were organising action for the future.

The strike, which began on Friday evening, will also see no duty solicitor cover at Reading, Newbury and East Berkshire magistrates courts on Monday.