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UK
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18 January 2006
Legal Aid For Lottery
Millionaire
Millionaire lotto winner
Michael Carroll has been granted
legal aid to fight a court case next week.
The ex-binman, who won
£9.7m in the lotto, is accused of affray and is due
before Norwich Crown Court on Monday.
A government spokeswoman
confirmed that Mr Carroll, 22, of Downham Market, Norfolk,
had been granted legal aid.
But she said it was "a
matter of course" for it to be awarded initially, however
the cash can be reclaimed later on the orders of a
judge.
A Legal
Services Commission
spokesman said: "A means test for receiving legal aid in
criminal cases is due to be introduced this year, as part of
the Criminal Defence Service Bill, which is currently before
parliament. This means testing will ensure that those who
can afford to pay for their own legal defence do so. The
criminal legal aid means test will first be rolled out in
Magistrates' Court and then Crown Court."
A spokeswoman for the
Department
for Constitutional Affairs
said if legal aid was applied for it was granted
automatically so there was no delay in the legal
process.
"It is more or less a
matter of course in a criminal case like this. This case is
no different," she said. "When he was arrested how was the
court to know he's a millionaire or not? They investigate
after the charges have been made. They send a legal aid
certificate so there is no delay in the legal
process."
She added a court official
would then investigate the defendant's means and a judge can
order the costs to be recovered.
"The money goes to his
solicitor and not to him and I do not think any money has
been paid out yet," he added.
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