The Cost Of Freedom?

[ChillDoubt]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20747647

Would the ordinary man in the street be afforded such benefit when Legal Aid is suffering cutbacks?

[Richard1966]

The answer is yes. Criminal legal aid isnt being cut by much, its civil legal aid that is being slashed

[FredPuli43]

As far as Legal Aid is concerned, he is the ordinary man in the street and one facing serious criminal charges.
What runs up the bills is the ludicrous system that permits defendants like him to bring seemingly endless appeals over a long period of time. And no doubt the lawyers put in claims based on the supposed exceptional difficulty of the case.

[youngmafbog]

The problem is the bottom feeding pond life scum defending Abu Qatada coupled with a useless system and connection to Europe.

[FredPuli43]

"Bottom feeding scum"? I say, old chap, you're talking about solicitors, an honourable breed. I had a colleague who remembered his first week when he was a solicitor. His senior partner summoned him, and pointed to a legal aid form which my friend had filled in with great care, carefully calculating every item of time spent etc "What's wrong with it ?", my friend asked and got the reply "What's wrong with it? ! Mr X, a legal aid form is a blank cheque. It is you duty to fill in as big a figure as possible! Now take it away and try again".

[jake-the-peg]

Ah I didn't think it't take YMB long to play the European card

Looks like there's no quota on European Red Herrings!

Of course it's often overlooked that the government has already frozen his bank accounts and seized over £200,000

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/15/abu-qatada-legal-aid-bill

[bazwillrun]

Can someone explain how if this scumbag has £200,000 in his accounts hes able to get benefits

[sandyRoe]

Abu Qatada isn't somebody you'd first think of to be the face on a poster for human rights. But the fact is the government want to send him to a country where torture is a common police tool used to get confessions.
We should be proud that our courts have blocked his deportation.

[sandyRoe]

bazwillrun, maybe the benefits he gets aren't means tested?

[aelmpvw]

Alan Sugar would be entitled to job seekers allowance if he signed on