Tories vow to axe not proven verdict and put victims at heart of system

The Scottish Tories have unveiled their criminal justice manifesto pledges ahead of May's election, including sweeping new legislation which would see the end of the not proven verdict.

Douglas Ross said the socalled victims law would put those who have suffered a criminal act at the heart of the justice system.

The not proven verdict, unique to the Scottish justice system, has been controversial in recent years and the Tories will look to make trial a straight decision between guilty and not guilty if the law is passed.

Mr Ross said the bill would be the first act of his party in the new parliamentary term and would also include what he calls Suzanne's law and Michelle's law.

Named after Suzanne Pilley, who was murdered in 2010, the legislation would mean convicted murderers cannot be released until they reveal the whereabouts of their victim's remains.

While Michelle's law, named after 17-year-old Michelle Stewart who was murdered in 2008, the families of victims would be given a greater say over release arrangements.

Ms Stewart's sister said she supports the legislation.

Mr Ross said: "We are on the side of crime victims whose pain and suffering is often compounded by their experience of the criminal justice process.

"There is so much we can do to improve the prevention and detection of crime but also how victims and their families can be treated with decency and respect.

"The family of Michelle Stewart are an example to us all. Having suffered such a tragic loss, they have found the strength to campaign to improve the system for others.

"Our victims law will give victims and their families a meaningful voice and bring much needed transparency to prosecutions, courts and parole."

Speaking from a former police station in Loanhead, Midlothian, on Wednesday, Mr Ross outlined a number of other justice policies his party proposes.

They include doubling the maximum sentence for attacks on emergency workers to two years, introducing whole life custody orders, ending automatic early release and enabling all victims of crime to be able to make impact statements.

He added: "This is also about reversing damaging SNP cuts to policing in communities such as here in Loanhead where the police station lies empty.

"My wife is a police officer and I am passionate about protecting them and giving them the resources they need to serve the public.

"Time and time again, we hear victims saying the SNP justice system betrays them while pandering to criminals.

"Voting for the SNP will ensure five more years of a Scottish Parliament distracted by demands for another divisive independence referendum. Only the Scottish Conservatives have the strength to block the SNP and focus on what really matters to the people of Scotland."

Mr Ross said the not proven verdict does not give victims the certainty or clarity they need after a court case.

He said: "There is a disproportionate number of not proven verdicts in rape cases and that certainly doesn't deliver for the victim and it still leaves the accused with an uncertain verdict.

"Guilty or not guilty is clear, not proven is too ambiguous."

He also said the hate crime legislation recently passed at

Holyrood, which the Conservatives have vowed to partially repeal, is "not fit for purpose".

Discussing the new laws, Mr Ross said: "There was an opportunity to remove the aspect of being accused of hate crime for something you've said around the dinner table.

"But the Scottish Government and the SNP refused to accept that amendment. Theey forged ahead with it and that's why this remains a very contentious piece of legislation."

Mr Ross also called on supporters of the Union to unite behind the Scottish Conservatives, saying they are the strongest pro-uk party. He said he does not know why Labour and the Liberal Democrats turned down his offer of an electoral pact within hours. It follows the first televised election debate between five Scottish party leaders on Tuesday night. Mr Ross's suggestion of a pro-union pact led to a clash between himself and Anas Sarwar during the debate, with the Scottish Labour leader saying the Tory should "grow up".

Mr Ross said the audience questions for the BBC debate showed there are concerns about a second independence referendum. Mr Ross said: "It was dead within three hours when Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats said they wouldn't work with us. "I don't know why, because we worked together in 2014, we were able to stop the nationalist threat then. "I think we need to go back to that because clearly the nationalists are willing to work together, be it Nicola Sturgeon's nationalists or Alex Salmond's nationalists, to deliver a supermajority for independence. "Those of us who believe in Scotland's place in the United Kingdom, I think, should have worked together.”