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Baines Advocate "a little on the scatty side"

Wed, 12 Jan 2011

The jury in the trial of Manx advocate Jenny Holt have been hearing from a number of prosecution witnesses today.

Mr James Ramsden QC was the second witness of the day, and a barrister who had worked with Miss Holt on a number of cases including Jeremy Clarkson's land dispute and a commercial case involving the MEA. He testified that although Miss Holt was a qualified advocate, she had never worked on a criminal case.

The questioning of Mr Ramsden and another barrister Mr William Clegg QC centered around phone calls made by Miss Holt questioning the legality of a loan by Mr and Mrs Baines from a trust account of which the couple were trustees.

Both men recalled the conversations but could not recall how much depth was entered in to by either party.

Miss Holts defence team suggested to one witness that she was definitely intellectually inclined but was "a little on the scatty side" and that she should never have been put in the position she was as she did not have the relevant experience.

Miss Holt is charged with a number of offences relating to the theft of £400,000 pounds by Mr & Mrs Trevor Baines from the Hermitage trust.

Charges Mr and Mrs Baines have now pleaded guilty to.

The trial continues

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