Move to let children give pre-recorded evidence for trials

STEPHEN NAYSMITH

evidence, while still allowing it to be tested.

Mr Matheson said: “Giving evidence to a court can be extremely difficult and emotional for anyone, particularly a child or vulnerable witness.

“Making sure those witnesses feel safe, secure and able to share their account of events effectively not only protects them from ongoing risk, but helps them give the best evidence.

“This is an ambitious aim and it is likely to take time to fully achieve. But it is vital and necessary that we make this important progressive change whilst also ensuring that the rights of a person accused of a crime are maintained.”

The Scottish Government is already working with the legal profession to encourage earlier pre-recording of evidence and says the review will address failings in venues and equipment to take pre-trial evidence. JILL Brown compares images from a brochure for a new exhibition, featuring realist paintings from the 1920s and 1930s, to one of the real things.

The gallery employee is examining the 1939 work by English painter Gerald Brockhurst entitled By The Hills at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh.

Brockhurst, who died in 1978, was commissioned to paint the Duchess of Windsor, Hollywood star Merle Oberon and Marlene Dietrich during the era.

The exhibition provides a rare glimpse into the era, with many of the portraits borrowed from private collections and is the first major survey of the subject. It runs from Saturday until the end of October.