Defendants told their cases have to put back as indefinite strike by defence barristers starts
Hearings at Crown Courts across the region had to be adjourned on Monday as the first day of an indefinite strike hit the justice system.
Barristers in England and Wales began the uninterrupted strike, in an escalation of industrial action over pay which started in April.
Courts in Shrewsbury and Stafford were among those affected.
The Criminal Bar Association wants a 25per cent rise in legal aid fees for representing defendants who could not otherwise afford lawyers.
Intermittent industrial action since June has already led to court delays and the government says there are tens of thousands of cases already waiting to go to trial.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court Judge Peter Barrie explained to several defendants that there were no-one in court to represent them because of the industrial action.
He told one man facing trial on a charge of burglary that his case was being adjourned until November.
"The dates may yet change in these very difficult days for courts," he said.
He told another defendant he was putting off his sentence until October.
"The delay is frustrating but it is important that you are represented."
The judge explained to two other defendants who had their cases put back that the strike did not stop them getting legal advice from their solicitors.
"It just prevents you from being represented in court," he said.
The government has offered a 15 per cent rise from the end of September, which the Criminal Bar Association has rejected, saying it would not kick in soon enough or apply to existing cases.
It says the criminal justice system has been run down by years of underfunding, with some junior barristers making less than the hourly minimum wage and more than a quarter having quit the profession in the past five years.
Michelle Heeley QC, leader of the Midlands Circuit and barrister at No5 Barristers' Chambers, said: "For the last several months, the CBA has attempted to motivate the Government through a variety of actions to bring attention to the low pay junior barristers under three years call receive in this country.
"For just £12,700 a year, these young and eager professionals work an average of 60-hour weeks. That equals just over £4 an hour. Both prosecuting and defending members of the public, junior barristers uphold our right of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ for less than minimum wage.
