More locations for weekend custody courts during COP26

Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service has announced further locations for planned weekend custody courts during the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.

In a response to the anticipated impact of the conference, the biggest and most complex event ever held in Scotland, additional custody courts will be scheduled at Paisley, Hamilton and Falkirk Sheriff Courts on each Saturday (6 and 13 November) during the conference period. This is in addition to the previously announced weekend custody courts in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, which also include the preceding weekend.

Defence agents in Glasgow have previously declined to commit to supporting these courts unless they are allowed additional remuneration equivalent to that offered to others who will require to work the courts.

Due to the high level of police officer deployment, the conference will also result in no summary trials taking place in the sheriff court or justice of the peace court anywhere in Scotland between 25 October and 12 November, although some courts will convert their trials to notional diets which will still require the attendance of the accused. Sheriff and jury trials will not take place between 1 and 12 November. Procedural criminal courts will continue as normal.

The High Court will continue to sit as programmed, but trials assigned for Glasgow between 1 and 12 November will instead be heard at sheriff courts in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Airdrie and Paisley.