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New legislation changes will encourage judges to consider community-based alternatives rather than a prison sentence of a year or less for vulnerable women. Around 90 per cent of women who are sent to jail are given a custodial sentence of 12 months or less, with Scotland having one of the highest female prison populations across

This week, a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff court heard prosecutors plan to use the proceeds of crime legislation to recover £1,590,512.69 from a retired architect who embezzled hundreds of thousands of pounds from a charity. Ian Brash, 66, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in August 2018 where he admitted to embezzling £358,832 from the Dr

The number of recorded violent crimes has risen by 10 per cent, according to new figures from Police Scotland. The force said it detected 4,817 more offences in 2018-19 compared to 2017-18; the equivalent of 90 extra crimes a week. The number of murders, attempted murders and serious assaults all increased in the year to

Natalie McGarry admitted two charges of embezzlement from her party and a pro-independence organisation when she appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday 24 April 2019. Prosecutors accepted Ms McGarry’s not guilty pleas to two of the four charges against her; another embezzlement charge, as well as a charge of failure to disclose “encrypted electronic

As of 1 April 2019, new legislation has come into force that criminalises psychological domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour. The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act, which was passed by the Scottish parliament in February 2018, makes several reforms to criminal procedure with the purpose of protecting victims. This will include requiring courts to consider