Some of the UK’s top barristers and lawyers will gather in court this week to represent four high-profile former Barclays bankers, led by ex-chief executive John Varley, charged with fraud over the bank’s £12bn rescue at the height of the financial crisis.

Varley, Roger Jenkins, the former head of investment banking, Thomas Kalaris, the former wealth division head and Richard Boath, who was in charge of the European financial institutions division, appeared in court on January 14.