Text alert solution to court witness delays

It’s time to turn back the clock ...

THIS time warp pair know a thing or two about turning back the clock.

Historical re-enactors Lindsay and Fiona Sands have been teaching visitors to Edinburgh Castle all about life in 16th century Scotland.

The mother and daughter team give tourists a flavour of what life in Auld Reekie’s crowded streets would have been like hundreds of years ago.

And people are being urged to make use of the extra hour they have had in bed today, and head to the landmark castle to join the pair on their journey through time. With the nights fair drawing in, it’d be a waste not to enjoy what Scotland has to offer.

The Scottish Oorders Rape Crisis Centre has echoed this view.

It believes technology could be used more, particularly in terms of videoing police statements and playing those to court, so victims do not need to attend.

Independent estimates reveal almost half of summary cases did not proceed as planned in Scotland’s sheriff courts last year and there has been a 65% increase in the number of cases adjourned due to “lack of court time” over the last five years.

An Audit Scotland probe found witnesses claimed they were being left to hang around for days at a time with limited access to food or water.

The Sheriffs’ Association revealed some courts are experiencing “significant” delays and called for increased funding.

In his submission to the inquiry on the Crown Office, Ay r s h i r e G P Dr Robbie Cummings, who is also a forensic medical examiner, said on one occasion he had to cancel the appointments of 40 patients only to find he was not needed in court.

He said: “When we are short staffed, I cannot leave the surgery without causing so many problems that the risk to the health of my patients overrides any other consideration and I would have to accept the consequences of failing to appear.”

The Scottish Court and Tribunal Service told the inquiry it was working to tackle the problem and was transforming into a modern service.