5.  The applicant was born in 1952 and lives in Ozorkow. 6.  On 20 September 2005 the Łódź Regional Court convicted the applicant of several counts of robbery and membership of an organised criminal gang and sentenced him to five years and eight months’ imprisonment. 7.  On 21 February 2006 the Łódź Court of Appeal quashed the first‑instance judgment and remitted the case. On 21 July 2006 the Łódź Regional Court again convicted the applicant and sentenced him to five years and eight months’ imprisonment. 8.  On 9 January 2007 the Łódź Court of Appeal upheld the first‑instance judgment. On 24 January 2007 the appellate court sent its judgment, together with its written grounds, to the applicant. It was served on him on 10 February 2007. 9.  Meanwhile, on 7 February 2007 the court assigned a legal‑aid lawyer to the case for the purposes of lodging a cassation appeal before the Supreme Court. 10.  On 14 February 2007 the applicant requested the court to assign a new legal-aid lawyer to prepare a cassation appeal. 11.  In a letter to the court dated 16 February 2007 the lawyer assigned to the case informed the court that he had found no grounds on which to draft a cassation appeal in the applicant’s case. The court forwarded the letter to the applicant. It was served on him on 26 February 2007. The court did not inform the applicant of his further procedural rights. 12.  On 13 March 2007 the Łódź Court of Appeal refused the applicant’s request to assign a new legal-aid lawyer to the case.