First Minister defends ‘sensible’ decision to drop abolition plan for corroboration in criminal cases

NICOLA Sturgeon has defended the Scottish Government’s decision to drop the controversial proposal to abolish the centuries-old legal requirement of corroboration in criminal trials.

She has insisted that it was the “responsible and sensible thing” to do.

At First Minister’s Questions, Tory leader Ruth Davidson branded the Government’s handling of the issue “one of the most shameful episodes in this Parliament’s history”.

Ms Davidson said that when “legitimate concerns” about axing corroboration had been raised last year, the then justice secretary Kenny MacAskill had “dismissed them as being part of a unionist conspiracy and accused opponents of ‘selling out the victims of crime’”.

She also cited an intervention from former solicitor general Lord McCluskey, who said that the SNP’s handling of the episode “rings alarm bells for anyone concerned about democracy in Scotland”.

However, Ms Sturgeon defended her former justice secretary, who had previously said that the “outdated rule”, which means two sources of evidence are needed to secure a conviction, meant many victims were being denied justice.

Mr MacAskill’s successor, Michael Matheson, announced this week that the proposal to end the need for corroboration, which had won the support of victims groups and police but was strongly opposed by many in the legal profession, would be removed from legislation which is currently before the Scottish Parliament.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The former justice secretary listened to the concerns that had been raised, which is why he then asked Lord Bonomy to carry out the work Lord Bonomy has now carried out.

“They have recommended a range of changes to the justice system they think should go ahead if corroboration is to be abolished, and the current Justice Secretary has rightly and properly decided we need to take a pause and consider those reforms, the substantive nature of them and the way they would change the justice system, in a round and in a holistic way.

“I take the view that the SNP Government has handled this both appropriately and correctly but also we can evidence, because of the position we’re now in, that concerns have been raised and have not been swept aside.

“On the contrary, they have been listened to and acted upon.”