R v Holloway [2016] EWCA Crim 2175
"The applicant was charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent. Two consultant psychiatrists decided that he was fit to stand trial. He was initially represented by solicitors and counsel but decided to dispense with his legal representation and represent himself. ... Subsequently, the judge decided to appoint counsel, a Mr David Malone, to assist the court and the applicant with legal issues. ... Ms Tayo asserts that the judge should have refused to allow the applicant to represent himself. She conceded, as she must, that he had been deemed fit to plead and stand trial and in principle had a right to defend himself but she maintained that the judge was obliged to force legal representation on him because of the nature and extent of his mental illness. ... Our conclusion on ground 1 can be stated shortly. This applicant had been certified fit to plead. The judge had no power to force representation on him and there was no basis in fact or law for staying the proceedings. ... It is clear that a defendant who is fit to stand trial cannot dismiss his legal representatives, insist on representing himself and then come to this court claiming he should not have been allowed to represent himself. ... The circumstances in which an advocate is appointed are very restricted. A memorandum dated 19 December 2001 agreed between the then Attorney General and Lord Chief Justice states in clear terms that an amicus will not be appointed for the purposes of cross‑examination in criminal trials and they will not be appointed 'simply because a defendant in criminal proceedings refuses representation'. Her Majesty's Attorney may consider appointing a special advocate in the Crown Court but only to perform a very limited role in relation to disclosure of sensitive documents. Mr Little invited us to note that in such a situation, it is not the court who appoints the advocate but the Attorney and the advocate does not act on behalf of an accused in cross‑examining witnesses or presenting arguments before a jury. ... It is now accepted that a court has an inherent power (and possibly a power under the Criminal Procedure Rules) to appoint an intermediary to ensure the effective participation of a vulnerable defendant in a trial. In this case, however, an intermediary was not necessary. HHJ Lyons, with the best of intentions, purported to appoint an amicus 'to assist the court' who in truth was appointed to act as a defence advocate and adviser. We see considerable force in Mr Little's submissions that, save where statute provides, there is no power to appoint an advocate in these circumstances to perform such a role. Further, there is no need for any such power. The court now has ample powers to ensure a fair trial without resorting to appointing a defence advocate where legal representation has been refused. Accordingly, we can find no basis for the appointment of Mr Malone, as helpful as he undoubtedly was to the court and to the applicant. Through no fault of his, the boundaries of his role became somewhat blurred. He began as something akin to an amicus but he argued points with the prosecution on the applicant's behalf, explained to the applicant the effect of the judge's rulings and he cross-examined witnesses. On at least one occasion he was referred to by the judge as 'your counsel' or 'your barrister'. On any view, he was not the applicant's advocate. The applicant had dispensed with the services of his advocate and his solicitors."
ICLR
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