Giving his inaugural speech at Gray’s Inn last week, chair-elect Mark Fenhalls QC said: ‘This would, I suspect, vastly increase guilty pleas, and reduce the attrition of complainants and witnesses who otherwise lose heart as cases are delayed for years.’
He called for a ‘proper refurbishment’ of the court estate, even though it may take a decade to fix roofs, broken windows, heating and ventilation systems, and reasonable rates of pay for criminal barristers as well as an end to asking barristers to ‘do huge amounts of work for nothing’.
He also pledged to tackle systemic obstacles to progress faced by Black and Asian barristers.
Fenhalls is due to take over from Derek Sweeting QC on 1 January. Nick Vineall QC will become vice-chair while Michael Polak takes over from Joanne Kane as chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee.
