Lawyers stayed out of court in protest against proposed cuts to legal aid.

Solicitors who would have been in action today at Maidstone Magistrates Court stood outside the building in Palace Avenue instead.

The action was part of a countywide protest, and was held to coincide with Justice Minister Christopher Grayling’s birthday. Staff from the probation service were also on strike.

A spokesman said: “Our concern is with regard to the justice system as a whole and that there will be miscarriages of justice.”

There are currently nine solicitors’ firms covering the Maidstone area. Under the changes which are proposed as part of the Ministry of Justice’s plans to cut £215m from the annual criminal legal aid budget, six would instead cover the whole of the county.