Liberty wins permission for hearing over absence of legal aid for challenges to PSPOs

Human rights organisation Liberty has been granted permission to take the Legal Aid Agency to court for refusing to help people challenge Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Liberty, which said the case would be heard within the next three months, tweeted: “Councils have used Public Space Protection Orders to criminalise homelessness, but @LegalAidAgency won't help people challenge a #PSPO even if it unjustifiably affects the poorest in society - which is why we're taking it to court.”

It claimed that the Legal Aid Agency's stance made it “near-impossible” for anyone to challenge a Public Space Protection Order – “let alone the most vulnerable in our society”.

When it launched its legal action last October Liberty highlighted the case of a Poole resident it represented, who sought to challenge the introduction of a PSPO by her borough council in June 2018. The case was put on hold when the Legal Aid Agency refused to assist.

The Legal Aid Agency is reported to have said that the case was of no benefit to the client and insisted any litigation could be financed by crowdfunding instead.