JUSTICE Secretary Chris Grayling is looking into specialist training for defence barristers in trials like Bullfinch after lobbying by Nicola Blackwood.

A scheme trialling ways to ease the burden of giving evidence for vulnerable victims is to be launched shortly and, as the Oxford Mail reported on Saturday, Mr Grayling met one of the six victims from the first Bullfinch trial to get her opinion on the proposal.

Judges and prosecuting barristers already receive specialist training on how to examine vulnerable victims and Miss Blackwood, Oxford West and Abingdon MP, believes it should be rolled out for defence lawyers as well.

She says it would help prevent aggressive cross-examination of victims – like the Bulllfinch women who had to relive their years of abuse by the gang in Oxford for the jury at the Old Bailey – but also safeguard a defendant’s right to test the allegations.

In February it emerged professional violinist Frances Andrade killed herself just days after being accused of lying in court that Michael Brewer had abused her as a child.

Mr Grayling said: “Nicola has been arguing, quite sensibly, and I am beginning to discuss with the legal profession the idea of having specialist training for defence lawyers in cases like this.

“It already happens on the prosecution side but it is definitely worth serious consideration because we have seen in some cases the most horrendous and insensitive cross-examination, which might have a legal justification but actually, when you look at it in the cold light of day, it’s just not fair on the victims.”

Mr Grayling accepted, however, that the system could not swing so far that defence barristers were unable to properly question witnesses and harm an innocent defendant’s case.

He added: “You don’t want to close off options for defendants but I do think someone who is an experienced advocate in a case like this will be better placed to find the right balance between proper cross-examination and over-examination of a witness in a way that might actually cause a jury to form a different view.”

Miss Blackwood, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “Making sure what happens in court is improved matters so that is why I think training for defence barristers is important.

“(In the Bullfinch trial) I think we did a very good job. We had an excelllent judge and a very good team in place, but it doesn’t happen in every case and there have been failings.”