The accused, charged with sexual assault, brought a Rowbotham application seeking state-funded counsel after being denied Legal Aid.
The court found that the accused failed to establish the requisite degree of indigency, as he earned a decent wage and had the ability to save for legal fees.
Furthermore, the court determined that funded counsel was not essential to a fair trial, given the straightforward nature of the case and the fact that court-appointed counsel would conduct the cross-examination of the complainant and handle complex evidentiary motions.
The application was dismissed.
