Aberdeen lawyers call for temporary courtrooms
Temporary courtrooms are being called for by lawyers in Aberdeen to tackle the backlog of cases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as sheriff and jury trials have not restarted yet.
Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service (SCTS) recently announced plans to restart High Court trials in Edinburgh and Glasgow using cinemas to live stream the trial to juries, and it intends to extend this practice across Scotland.
But there is a growing feeling among lawyers in Aberdeen that more needs to be done urgently to address the backlog of cases in the north east of Scotland.
Stuart Murray, president of the Aberdeen Bar Association, told the Evening Express: “In trials which do not require a jury, the Aberdeen Bar Association can see no reason why courts cannot be physically adapted to allow witnesses, accused persons and court staff to remain safe, whilst being involved in the trial process.
“Courts could fairly easily be fitted with perspex screens, in the same way that shops, banks and other commercial premises have been adapted.
“The issue is, of course, more complex when making arrangements for Jury trials. Jurors are an essential part of the Scottish legal system and when giving up their valuable time to allow justice to be done, they must be protected from the virus.
“That being said, there are a number of buildings that in the opinion of the Aberdeen Bar Association, could be utilised locally, to allow Jury trial to begin again.”
Defence solicitor Mike Munro, a partner at Mackie & Dewar, has called for more to be done and suggested the P&J Live arena and Music Hall should be used to host temporary courtrooms.
He said that the backlog is “not fair on the accused, it’s not fair on complainers. They will have this hanging over them, they may be nervous, they may know the person who is alleged to have assaulted them”.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “We are working tirelessly with partners, including victims groups, the Scottish courts and prosecution services, and the legal profession to quickly find the best possible way to deal with the backlog.”