Sky News: Murder Trial Stalled Over Missing Interpreter
More than two years after the murder of a family-of-four, a missing interpreter halts the trial of the man held over their deaths.
A High Court judge has expressed his anger after an interpreter failed to turn up to the court hearing of a man accused of murdering a family.
The plea hearing for the Chinese businessman Anxiang Du, who is accused of killing the Ding family, could not go ahead because of there was no one to translate.
Mr Justice Julian Flaux, sitting at Nottingham Crown Court, said it was a "complete disgrace" that an interpreter was not there for a plea hearing.
Mr Justice Flaux said he was not sure which company was at fault but his clerk had been told it was "not worthwhile" for an interpreter to turn up for the hearing, because they would "not make enough money".
Adjourning the hearing for two months, Mr Justice Flaux said: "I will be asking for a written explanation to explain what had happened. It is a complete disgrace.
"Some people suggest things have got better. That depends what the starting point is."
Anxiang, 54, is accused of the murder of university lecturer Jifeng "Jeff" Sing, his wife Ge "Helen" Chui and their two daughers, Alice, 12, and Xing, 18, in May 2011.
Anxiang, who was formally arrested in February after being extradited to the UK from Morocco, is yet to enter a plea to the charges.
A provisional trial date had been set for August 5 at a preliminary hearing at Northampton Crown Court but the date has now been put back until November 12.
Anxiang was remanded into custody to next appear at Northampton Crown Court on July 19 for a further hearing.
