Should Nigel Evans be paid back his £130,000 legal costs? The MP, who was acquitted last week, says he has been ruined defending himself — spending every penny he has. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) this week was firm: “Whether a defendant’s legal costs should be reimbursed from public funds is a matter for the Ministry of Justice.”
As for the ministry itself, it says that Mr Evans could have reclaimed at least some of his costs had he applied for legal aid in the first place — even if refused. A spokesman said: “Anyone who has applied for legal aid and is subsequently acquitted of a crime is entitled to be repaid at least part of their legal costs — irrespective of whether their