Judge questions taxpayer bill for sex trial interpreters which could rise to £50,000

Although the judge was keen to stress that the use of the service had not affected his decision on jail time, he questioned whether all of the men that used them really required them.

It is thought that the taxpayer funded bill for the service could have stretched to around £50,000.

The judge said: “There is one other area of this case that has caused me concern.

“The use of interpreters by defendants in this case has cost a minimum of £25,000, possibly double that.

“For example, Vikram Singh was born in India in an English speaking community, but he had an interpreter.

“Five of the other defendants at least have lived in this country for five years or more.

“I have asked for a report asking for some independent explanation on this issue.”

Interpreters at the hearing assisted defendants in the Hindi, Urdu, Pashto and Punjabi languages.

Judge Bevan stressed that interpreters should always be used when needed and the defendants were entitled to them.