In a powerful address to Humza Yousaf, Darryl Lovie, defence Lawyer and Partner at Keegan Smith, Livingston discusses the difficulties faced by defence lawyers throughout the pandemic.
@HumzaYousaf @NicolaSturgeon @EdinBarAssoc @GlasgowBarAssoc @Lawscot_LA @BarristerSecret A YEAR OF COVID FOR THE DEFENCE LAWYER.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
As the country locked down we knew the Criminal Justice System had to continue. We turned up. Local courts were closed and hub courts were introduced. We turned up. We knew the most vulnerable and deprived needed access to justice. We turned up.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
We knew those people were unfortunately the most likely to carry and spread the virus. We turned up. We knew we were being asked to enter court and police station areas where it was impossible to socially distance. We turned up.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
We saw other court and police station users provided with screens for protection but nothing introduced for us despite our pleas. We turned up. We were scared. We turned up. We saw the introduction of virtual proceedings without consultation. We turned up.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
We saw the Crown arrive with shiny new iPads and laptops to assist and knew we weren’t being given any financial assistance to compete. We turned up.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
We struggled to answer our phones, type our letters and manage our offices on top of everything else as we had to furlough staff. We turned up. We engaged with deputes working from the safety of their homes when we knew we couldn’t. We turned up.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
We saw custodies evaporate to minuscule levels as people were released on undertakings. We turned up. We saw those undertakings decimated by diversion from prosecution. We turned up. We saw cited cases disappear. We turned up.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
We were given promises so we turned up. £9 million set aside to recognise our crisis. We are exhausted, disillusioned and dispirited but we had hope. Now we are angry. We are angry at a system designed to deny us access to that fund.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
A system that so convoluted to suggest we have profited from COVID. This is the sort of sleight of hand that you @HumzaYousaf would expect to see from and properly criticise Westminster for. This looks like nothing short of a political stunt.
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021
If it’s not, then you need to do something about it. The question is….will we continue to turn up?
— Darryl Lovie (@DarrylLovie) March 18, 2021