A ROBBERY trial had to be put back to next year due to the barrister strike.

Kirk Lloyd, Kieran Styler and Zack Crowe's trial for robbery was scheduled to begin at Worcester Crown Court on Monday, (August 15). 

Kirk Lloyd, 27, of Rushock Close, Redditch; Kieron Styler, 33, of Shawbury Close, Redditch, and Zack Crowe, 23, of Blake Lane, Birmingham are all charged with robbery.

Worcester News: COURT: Kieran Styler appeared at Worcester Crown CourtCOURT: Kieran Styler appeared at Worcester Crown Court

The three are accused of robbing Alan Abland of cash on May 6, 2022.

Lloyd and Styler also face trial for unlawfully and maliciously causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) to Mr Abland, with intent.

Crowe, formerly of Worcester and Redditch, has previously pleaded guilty to that offence.

When the case got underway, it became apparent barrister Nicholas Berry, who was set to defend Styler, was not present at the hearing as he is taking part in the criminal bar strike action this week.

Jonathan Barker, prosecuting, said the matter could not proceed and parties had agreed the trial would have to be rearranged until spring next year.

Styler confirmed to Judge French that he wanted to be represented during the trial. 

Crowe was also not present at the hearing. Stephen Hamblett defending Crowe, told the judge: “I have a received message Mr Crowe is in a segregation unit in prison, where he has been for two or three weeks.

“He is not up to coming to court.”

The judge told Mr Hamblett that, had the trial been able to go ahead, it would have proceeded in Crowe’s absence, asking the barrister to warn his client of that.

The judge told Lloyd and Styler the trial could not go ahead in the absence of Mr Berry.

READ MORE: Magistrates send Tesco and Co-op thief to jail for latest stealing spree

READ MORE: Teenager says she swapped seats so her boyfriend would not get blame

He told the pair the expected four-day trial would instead be held on May 14 next year ordering their conditional bail to continue until then.

The judge ordered Crowe’s custody time limit be extended until May 19, 2023.

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) action is part of a dispute over conditions and government-set fees for legal aid advocacy work.

The CBA is carrying out strikes on alternate weeks, with no end date, with the action to remain under review and subject to the government’s response.