A TRIAL at Bolton Crown Court had to be delayed for two months — after it was halted by criminal barristers' industrial action.

Barristers have been refusing to cover for absent colleagues meaning that several cases have had to be adjourned as the defendants have no legal representation.

The "no returns" action is in support of solicitors who are protesting over government cuts to legal aid payments.

Hundreds of cases in crown courts throughout England and Wales have been delayed because of the action and several trial dates have had to be abandoned.

At Bolton Crown Court yesterday Jason Dain, aged 41, of Kingsfold Close, Breightmet, who denies charges including harassment, was due to start a four day trial.

But as the defence barrister originally appointed to represent him was not available, the trial had to be re-listed to start on October 13 and Dain was remanded in custody.

Prior to the action starting barristers would regularly take on cases for colleagues who could no longer deal with them due to a conflict of dates or other reasons.

The action is the result of a vote by members of the Criminal Bar Association who claim that cuts made to legal aid payments will have an adverse affect on the availability of justice to poorer members of society.

Stuart Duke, a barrister who regularly works at Bolton Crown Court, said the action has not been taken lightly and is a reaction to what lawyers see as an attack on the availability of "justice for all".

He said: "The Criminal Justice System is grinding to a halt as we speak.

"While the government propagates the myth of fat cat legal aid lawyers, legal aid rates have now been cut to levels where it is not economically viable for barristers and solicitors to take on these cases."

He stressed that this could result in more miscarriages of justice as people without legal training attempt to represent themselves, victims will have to wait longer for cases to be resolved and more people will be remanded in custody instead of being granted bail.

He added: "What has developed is a two-tier justice system where the wealthy can afford proper representation in court and the ordinary working man has to rely on charity shop justice."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman denied that courts and the legal system were being badly affected by the industrial action.

A spokesman said: "All our intelligence shows that courts continue to sit as usual and that the vast majority of cases requiring a solicitor at the police station have been picked up within an hour.”