Wick court could be downgraded in review
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A FEARED downgrading of Wick Sheriff Court would mean witnesses, jurors and accused in trials travelling “unacceptable” distances, according to the Law Society for the Highlands.
The Scottish Courts Service (SCS) launches a consultation exercise today looking at options for sheriff courts across the region.
The mooted change at Wick threatens local justice, claims council member of the Law Society for Inverness, Dingwall, Tain, Dornoch and Wick, solicitor George MacWilliam.
“Proposals being issued by the SCS today will likely result in the sheriff court structure in the Highlands being changed almost beyond recognition,” he told the John O’Groat Journal.
“When SCS met local sheriffs, solicitors and others involved in the courts throughout the Highlands in May, it was made clear that budget cuts and reforms to court procedure being introduced by the Scottish Government in the next few years would mean that changes to the current court system were inevitable.”
An earlier discussion document indicated Wick would be downgraded, moving jury trials further south, and Dingwall. Tain and Dornoch would close.
While civil court and summary criminal business would be unaffected at Wick, jury trials would no longer be heard in the far north.
Potentially this could mean a 200 mile-plus round trip for the accused, witnesses and those selected for jury duty.
The formal consultation document, which enters the public domain today, should lay the options on the table, according to Mr MacWilliam.
“The rurality of the courts in the Highlands and the vast distances between them mean that principles that work in the central belt of Scotland – amalgamating and closing courts – would not work here,” he said.
“For instance, how can someone living in north-west Sutherland required to attend court in Inverness arrive there using public transport prior to the normal start time of 10am and get back home later that day after the court stops sitting?” he asked.
“If children need to attend a child welfare hearing in Inverness, the issue of travel can be even more difficult – particularly if someone the child or their parents would rather not see because of their opposing position in any court proceedings requires to be on the same bus.”
Although the review was undertaken as a cost-saving measure, MacWilliam reckons it would be counter-productive by the time that new additional costs such as transport and staffing issues were covered.
“Another issue arises for those detained by the police for an alleged offence,” he said.
“When they are taken to the sheriff court and subsequently released, they have to find their way home. Such individuals may be vulnerable or without sufficient funds. This is a situation which often arises and which would be much more difficult if there was no longer a local sheriff court to attend.”
Mr MacWilliam maintains that all is not yet lost.
“The proposals brought forward by SCS will be consulted upon and the closure of any sheriff court requires parliamentary approval,” he said.
“The Scottish Government must be made aware that changes which create a justice system which is distant from many of its users within the Highlands are not acceptable.
“We all need to stand up for a fair and effective justice system within the Highlands.”
