Frontline staff at our courts knew best

When the Scottish Courts Service streamlined its estate by shutting buildings which had been at the heart of community justice for generations, it insisted there would be no resultant loss of service.

Those campaigning to retain courts in Tayside and Fife were told their fears over cases piling up and court staff being too stretched to deal with them were unfounded.

The latest figures for the number of cases adjourned in Dundee tell a different story.

The year before the closures only 5% of solemn cases — the most serious type — dealt with in Dundee were delayed due to lack of court time.

After the workload from Cupar shifted to the city, it rocketed to 21% last year.

The picture is little better in Forfar, which subsumed much of the Arbroath work.

Cases regularly have to be heard in Perth when they should be dealt with in Dundee.

The court service say there is “no link” between the closure of the buildings and the lack of time, but more crimes are being detected and reaching court.

It is a spurious argument — a greater number of courts could deal with more crimes.

Constantly being summoned to court as a victim or witness is upsetting and can be terrifying in extreme cases.

The frontline staff knew best when the closures were pushed through. They should have been listened to.