PLANNED changes to the legal system will leave suspects, witnesses and victims worse off.

That is the belief of a group of Hereford solicitors backing a campaign to oppose the Ministry of Justice reforms.

One of the ministry’s proposals is that people suspected of a criminal offence should no longer have the right to a solicitor of their choosing in the police station or in court.

The MoJ also wants to limit the number of firms representing suspects qualifying for legal aid to nine across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Warwickshire.

And, crucially, not one of the nine firms is from Herefordshire.

Christopher Morgan, a solicitor at Caldicott Gallimore, said: “This may mean that if you are arrested in Hereford, suspected of a crime that you have not committed, and want the advice and assistance of a solicitor you will have to wait for your appointed solicitor to travel from Telford or Leamington Spa to get to Hereford.

“The proposals will not only impact on suspects but also witnesses and victims of crime. The changes to legal aid may lead to delays to cases coming to trial and an increase in the number of trials that do not go ahead on the day that they should.”

Currently, those arrested or spoken to by the police as a suspect have the right to a free lawyer who can be chosen from any firm holding a legal aid contract.

Most of these firms are located within a fiveminute walk from the local police station.

Mr Morgan said the government’s proposals will almost certainly lead to job losses for both solicitors and their staff.

He added: “There are no ‘fat-cat’ criminal legal aid solicitors in Hereford and soon there will be no criminal legal aid solicitors at all.“ Local solicitors are urging people who want to keep free legal advice in Hereford to sign the petition at epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/48628 and write to their MP.