THE TIMES.
26th NOV , 1975.
Judge orders arrest of solicitor
Mr.Harold Weston, a solicitor who failed to appear at the Central Criminal Court yesterday to represent a defendant, was arrested later on the orders of the judge.
Judge Lawson, QC, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Mr. Weston, of Westbourne Grove, Paddington, when a man charged with sex offences appeared in court for the third time without representation.
The detective in the case, Det. Sergeant Eric Anderson, went to Mr. Weston's offices in Westbourne Grove yesterday afternoon, arrested him and took him to court. Judge Lawson ordered Mr. Weston to stand in front of the dock and told him: "The case was listed for last Thursday. Your client appeared, but you did not, nor did counsel. Up to that time your client had paid you the sum of £400. Counsel was not instructed and you did not even have the courtesy to appear to say you were not ready to go on."
Mr. Weston had twice been ordered to attend, and twice failed to appear. The correspondence he had sent to the court and to the Lord Chancellor's office had been "of a scurrilous nature ". The solicitor had asked the defendant to pay a further £700 and he had done so.
Mr. Weston said he had no intention of being in contempt or of showing discourtesy to Judge Lawson. Granting an adjournment for 48 hours, Judge Lawson said "You should be represented. You should consider why you personally should not pay the costs of the prosecution and witnesses of the Crown on Thursday last week and Monday this week and this morning. There is also the question of the £1,100. It seems to me to be a matter which perhaps after the case is over needs to be investigated by the body which governs your members, the Law Society."
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