News

COPFS Comes Under the Spotlight

The Justice Committee at Holyrood has spent the last five months conducting a review into the effectiveness and efficiency of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). This review has now concluded with a question session with the head of the service, The Lord Advocate, the Rt Hon James…

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Domestic Abuse and Sexual Crime Figures

The latest crime figures published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician have revealed that convictions for domestic abuse were at their second highest level on record last year, while the number of people convicted for sexual crimes reached an all-time high. In total, 12,374 people were convicted in Scotland’s courts for crimes…

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Farm Worker Imprisoned Following Tractor Death

A self-employed farm worker has appeared in court on health and safety charges after causing the death of a child while driving a tractor under the influence of alcohol. Eleven-year-old Harry Whitlam was visiting the farm where his mother worked, as he often did. Parts of the petting farm were…

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Launch of Festive Drink Driving Campaign

The Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland have launched their annual festive anti-drink drive awareness campaign, and are reminding drivers that ‘the best approach is none’. Last year – 12 months after the lower drink drive limit was introduced – one in 35 drivers stopped during the festive season were…

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Fraudsters Receive Custodial Sentences

The Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service has published details of two fraud cases that were recently heard in court. Fraud can take many forms and generally involves deceptively taking property without the owner’s consent with the intention for personal gain. In the first case, a 43-year-old woman was sentenced…

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