UNDER recently introduced legislation, people appearing in court on traffic offence charges can now only claim back their contractual costs with their solicitors, at Legal Aid levels, if they successfully defend their case.

Unless the costs of Legal Aid have been substantially increased, it appears to me that an innocent person could successfully prove their innocence but then be substantially out of pocket.

Is this yet another blow at democratic processes within our judicial system?

The average motorist will not be sufficiently aware of court processes and systems to present their case properly and therefore will obviously, to protect their standing, be required to seek a legal representative. This is not cheap.

The qualification for Legal Aid, I believe, puts it beyond the reach of an average working class person who is in work and with the usual commitments to family and home. I doubt whether Legal Aid payments would attract many solicitors, having regard to the normal rates charged.

Surely if one is proved innocent then they should not be penalised and should be able to claim all their reasonable costs back?

I am aware that many people caught in ‘speed traps’ prefer to pay the fine and take the points because of the costs involved in fighting their case.

This is not justice and needs addressing promptly. The country is in a poor state financially but this is no excuse for eroding the judicial system with a cost-cutting exercise such as this.

CHRIS PAYNE, Turnpike Road, Bicester