Asil Nadir receives free legal services

It has recently been announced that tycoon Asil Nadir will be able to fight a court battle with the help of free legal advice.

A spokeswoman for the Legal Services Commission said: "Asil Nadir has recently been granted legal aid to fund his defence in his upcoming fraud trial. His income was assessed before he was granted legal aid - in line with the means testing regime introduced in crown courts in 2010."

She added that the defendant will be obliged to pay a substantial contribution towards his legal expenses every month.

The spokeswoman also said that the Legal Services Commission will look at the costs incurred from the case and will investigate the defendant's capital assets.

Mr Nadir is due to stand trial next January over allegations that he stole £34 million.

He left the UK for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1993, a number of years after he was arrested in the wake of the disintegration of his company, Polly Peck.

However, he came back to Britain last year and is currently on conditional bail.

In addition, the importance of free legal services was highlighted by Sharon Gillows, who used it to win a legal battle on behalf of her child against the NHS.

Posted by Hannah Carr