SCTS quarterly bulletin records criminal cases resuming

Progress towards the restoration of normal business in the criminal courts is recorded in the latest quarterly statistical bulletin from Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service, covering the second quarter of 2020-21.

With High Court trials resuming using remote juries accommodated in cinemas, 36 evidence led trials took place in the quarter with no adjournments due to lack of court time.

In sheriff court solemn business, the number of petitions registered was 28% higher than the previous quarter at 3,210, a higher number than all quarters during 2019-20. Trials will resume in the different sheriffdoms over this month and the beginning of 2021.

The number of scheduled sheriff court summary trials has risen 41% since the end of June 2020, and by 80% since the end of March 2020, to a total of 25,146 as at the end of September 2020. SCTS says the number of trials scheduled is an indication of system capacity as it shows the volume of trial business at the end of each financial year or quarter.

The number of first instance criminal cases registered has risen by 51% to 23,534 in Q2 2020-21, when compared to the first quarter. This figure is approximately 89% of the average per quarter in 2019-20, "a clear indication that business levels are returning towards normal during the coronavirus pandemic".

A total of 15,643 cases were concluded in the quarter, more than four times the number of cases concluded in Q1 2020-21.

Commenting on the figures, chief operations officer David Fraser said: "Since reopening in June, our courts look and feel very different. COVID-19, while reducing our courtroom capacity, has also changed the way cases are handled, with increased electronic transmission, reduction in physical attendance and greater use of remote hearings, virtual hearings and the introduction of remote jury centres.

"Scotland’s courts are an essential public service and are open for business. Despite the COVID-19 restrictions we have put stringent measures in place to enable them to operate in a safe manner, protecting the health of our staff, judiciary and court users.

"While there are encouraging signs that our new way of working is allowing us to return to normal operating levels, large backlogs of cases remain and we are working closely with the judiciary, Scottish Government, justice organisations, the legal profession and the third sector to find and implement solutions to reduce this."

Click here to access the bulletin.