Absent counsel told to attend in rare court order

LONDON FIRM ANGERS JUDGE IN FAILING TO ATTEND HEARING

- By CARL EVE

A RESIDENT judge in Plymouth passed a rare order at court after a sentencing hearing had to be adjourned when a legal representative from London failed to attend to assist their client.

The hearing at Plymouth Crown Court last Friday was expected to deal with a trial of issue - known as a Newton hearing - after pleas offered by three men. Two accepted the charge they faced while a third offered a basis of plea which was not accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The charges, which related to the supply of class A cocaine in Plymouth, followed simultaneous raids by police at addresses in London and Plymouth last September.

As a result of the raids officers seized what they described as a sizeable amount of cash and suspected class A drugs. Two of the men arrested who hailed from London were later charged, as was a third man from Plymouth.

During the listed sentencing hearing the prosecutor highlighted the guilty pleas offered, the Crown's stance on the basis of plea for one of the men and the expected Newton hearing.

However, while two of the defendants were legally represented in court, the third defendant who had offered a basis of plea was not.