£8 million trial of lawyers accused of fiddling legal aid is scrapped after their barristers claim the coronavirus is putting their lives at risk

A trial which has cost the taxpayer more than £8 million has been scrapped after some of the country’s top lawyers claimed they were playing ‘Russian roulette’ with the coronavirus. The trial at Southwark Crown Court began on January 13 and was abandoned on its 41st day having cost an estimated £8,600,000. Two barristers removed themselves from the trial earlier in the week to self isolate and three more dropped out today (fri). The government has advised that no jury…