The Uk Law Gazette reports..
The trial of a teacher accused of murdering her boyfriend has collapsed because the defence QC had to isolate after a relative tested positive for Covid.
The news emerged as the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) is pushing for ‘double jabbed’ barristers who test negative for the virus to be included in the list of critical workers who are exempt from having to isolate if ‘pinged’ by the government app or come into close contact with someone testing positive.
Charlotte Kerr, 35, from Croydon, who is accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death, denies murder saying she acted in self-defence.
Four days into a three-week trial the jury at Croydon Crown Court had to be discharged last week, wasting thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money, despite pleas from the prosecution and defence for the case to continue.
The lead defence barrister, Icah Peart QC, was forced to isolate by government guidelines because an asymptomatic member of his household tested positive for Covid-19.
