Letter to the Editor: Grayling’s legal aid cuts will increase crime in Epsom

I was very interested to see the recent articles in last week’s Epsom Guardian about lawyers walking out of court.
 
I went to school in Ewell and have lived in Epsom for most of my life. A few years ago, I did work experience with a lawyer close to the Ebbisham Centre and ever since I have wanted to be a criminal barrister.
 
I was therefore saddened to hear that our local MP, Chris Grayling, is bringing in cuts to criminal lawyers’ fees. A junior criminal barrister only earns around £12k a year. My family is not rich and I have no independent means to fund myself. I do not want to enter the profession for the money but I do expect to be paid enough to make doing the job a viable career option.
 
Your readers should be aware of what happens when second rate advocates conduct criminal trials. Epsom has always been a safe place but we will soon see a marked increase in crime rates simply because the lawyers tasked with putting criminals away aren’t good enough.
 
I come from an ordinary background (I started my career stacking shelves in Waitrose in the Ashley Centre). I have worked extremely hard to break into this profession. Surely Mr Grayling would then want to use my story as an example of his successes in the constituency?
How odd, then, that he seems committed to doing everything he can to ensuring that people like me can never achieve their dreams.