What is meant by 'Central Funds'?

[SoPerplexed]

For the past few months I have been going through the initial court hearings for a private prosecution I am undertaking. The trial will be going to the Crown Court sometime later this year. Up until now, I have been attending the hearings in the Magistrates court on my own. When the need for serious courtroom advocacy arises, I will hand things over to the solicitor who has been advising me.

The most recent hearing was the committal, during which the judge advised me that I could apply for payment of my prosecution costs from 'Central Funds', even before the trial was concluded. He also said that the firm who was advising me was very knowledgeable and would be able to advise me further. This was a slight surprise to me because I was thinking that private prosecutions could not be paid for from public funds.

When I asked my solicitor about it, he said we might be able to apply for funds if we are successful at trial, but he didn't think it was possible before then. This was actually a contradiction of what he had originally told me, which was that no funds were available for private prosecutions, ever. Basically, I don't think my solicitor knows the rules on this, which is understandable as private prosecutions are very rare.

Does anyone know who administers 'Central Funds'? Is it the CPS or the Court Service? Or is it individual courts? Who would I contact to ask about this issue?

[ABerrant]

http://www.hmcourts-s...e.gov.uk/cms/4290.htm

[SoPerplexed]

Thanks ABerrant, I thought I had looked on the HMCS website but I guess I didn't look hard enough.