Chloe Mitchell trial to proceed after Minister and CBA reach agreement

Young Ballymena woman Chloe Mitchell who was brutally murdered in the town.

The Chloe Mitchell trial will proceed after Justice Minister Naomi Long and representatives of the Criminal Bar Association reached agreement following talks aimed at resolving the current impasse within the criminal justice system.

In a joint statement issued on Sunday (15 February), the Minister and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) confirmed that an accelerated review of the fees structure will commence and that the upcoming trial involving the murder of Chloe Mitchell will be exempt from the CBA’s withdrawal of services.

Further meetings between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the CBA are scheduled for next week.

Joint statement confirms trial E

exemption

The joint statement said:

“Justice Minister Naomi Long and representatives of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) have met in an effort to resolve the current impasse within the Criminal justice system.

“The meeting was a constructive one and whilst not all issues have been resolved the Minister has agreed to commence an accelerated review and the CBA have agreed to exempt the upcoming trial involving the murder of Chloe Mitchell from its withdrawal of services.

“Further meetings between the DOJ and the CBA are scheduled for next week.”

The agreement follows recent engagement between the CBA, the Mitchell family and North Antrim political representatives.

Minister: ‘Victims are central to everything we do’

Ms Long said:

“The meeting today was constructive, and I welcome the CBA’s commitment to engaging to find solutions to the recent impasse. Whilst not all issues have been resolved, a decision has now been taken which will enable the Chloe Mitchell trial to progress.

“I recently met with the family, and I am humbled by their resilience and determination to see justice for Chloe.

“We must never lose sight of the fact that victims are central to everything we do. We must protect them, we must serve them and we must be prepared to make hard decisions for them.”

Her comments emphasise the human impact of the uncertainty surrounding the trial, with Chloe Mitchell’s family awaiting clarity amid ongoing industrial action.

CBA welcomes accelerated Review

Michael Chambers KC, Vice Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said:

“We welcome the Minister’s frank and constructive engagement with the CBA today, following on from the CBA’s meeting with the Mitchell family and North Antrim political representatives yesterday, during which we had an opportunity not only to listen but also to explain the full background of the strike to them.

“Our consistent position has been that our members want to be in Court, dealing with cases like Chloe’ We welcome the Minister’s confirmation that an accelerated review will proceed and it is our hope that this will produce the urgent reforms necessary to enable a full return to work.”

Allister welcomes outcome

North Antrim MP Jim Allister also welcomed confirmation that the Chloe Mitchell trial will go ahead, following his own meeting with the Criminal Bar Association on Friday.

He said:

“I greatly welcome that the Chloe Mitchell trial will proceed. Following our meeting on Friday with the Criminal Bar Association, it was clear that if the minister re-engaged with the mid January plan of a fast tracked review of the fees structure, then this outcome was attainable.

“It is regrettable that the minister aborted the fast-track review she agreed in mid January - only now to rightly reinstate it - because she then caused to the Mitchell family needless anxiety, as part of the aborted January agreement was that Chloe’s case would proceed.

“I commend the Criminal Bar Association for its flexibility and willingness to respond to the needs of the Mitchell family and others.

“I trust we are now on a course which can lead to a fair outcome to the current CBA action.”

The confirmation that the Chloe Mitchell trial will proceed brings clarity after weeks of concern that strike action could delay proceedings, with political representatives and the family seeking urgent resolution.