News

Crown Office Statistics Reveal Levels of Hate Crime Reporting

New statistics published by the Scottish Government and Crown Office on hate crimes reported in 2017/18 have suggested more people are coming forward to report these incidents.  The figures show that: racial crime remains the most commonly reported hate crime, with the number of charges reported - 3,249…

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Legislation Introduced on Pre-recording of Evidence

The greater use of pre-recording of evidence by child and vulnerable witnesses has moved a step closer with the introduction of new legislation to the Scottish Parliament.  The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Bill would create a new rule that children who are due to give evidence in the most serious…

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Figures Reveal Rise in Sextortion Crimes

Newly released figures from the National Crime Agency (NCA) have revealed a sharp increase in the number of cases reported to the NCA’s Anti-Kidnap and Extortion Unit (AKEU).  In 2017, 1,304 cases of sextortion were reported to the AKEU by police forces across the UK. This is almost three…

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Scottish Limited Partnerships to be Reformed to Prevent Money Laundering

The UK Government has announced reforms of Scottish Limited Partnerships to prevent them from used to launder dirty foreign money through the UK.  Scottish Limited Partnerships (SLPs) and Limited Partnerships (LPs) are used by thousands of legitimate British businesses, particularly the private equity and pensions industry, to invest more…

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New Measures to Tackle Organised Crime Come into Force

New measures are now in force that give new powers to law enforcement agencies in combatting organised crime by widening what can be classed as cash when seizing assets.  The new provisions are contained in the Criminal Finances Act 2017 and mean that betting slips, casino chips and gaming…

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