Proven better

Regarding your report (“Civil rape case victor fronts bid to end ‘confusing’ not proven verdict”, 14 November), you published a letter from me on this matter on 16 January 2016. How long is this debate going on?

I was supporting JP John Lawless’s excellent summing up of the matter (your report that day). Charges have to be proved,either beyond reasonable doubt or on the balance of probabilities. So old Scots law was precise and logical.

The importation of, first, a “not-guilty” verdict and, second, the “guilty” verdict from England was a mistake and should not have been allowed. As Mr Lawless pointed out, no one knows whether or not an accused is in fact guilty or not-

guilty. All a verdict finds is whether or not the prosecution have proved their case.

So the solution, to enhance Scots law and rationalise it, is to go back to just two verdicts: “proven” or “not proven”. The public should learn to understand these verdicts and their implications.

STEUART CAMPBELL Dovecot Loan, Edinburgh