Scottish Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson has raised concerns over recent court cases at Dundee Sheriff Court which he says highlight reported shortcomings with the delivery of justice.
Following recent articles in The Courier regarding complaints about poor facilities for jurors and witnesses at the court along with trials having to be adjourned due to “lack of court space” and time the MSP said he told the Crown Office to “read The Courier front page and read the detail”.
His approach follows last Saturday’s exclusive article which raised the plight of two families who had to attend court for a trial after an 11-year-old boy was the victim of a sex attack.
Connor Tait, 21, was granted bail after the Crown did not extend the time bar on his case after it failed to start due to pressure of time on the court.
That caused serious anguish for the two families, who said they “felt they were treated like the criminals”, having to be hidden away from Tait at the court while he wandered free before and during the early part of the trial.
The Dundee Bar Association also said the sheriff court building is “not fit for purpose” and will only get worse once business comes from the soon-to-be-closed Cupar Sheriff Court.
Mr Pearson said: “The Courier’s stories mirror the points I was making at the justice committee about valuing witnesses in court and the negative experiences I have been informed about.
“We hear a great deal from the government about the steps they’re taking to improve experiences for witnesses and victims, and there is a bill going through Parliament at the moment.
“But what I said at last week’s justice committee was that, rather than making amendments to current legislation, what we need to do is change the actual culture within the courts.
“Legislation seeks to improve things but we have reports like those in The Courier, with complainers of sex crimes being treated in certain ways, and it seems to me it’s the culture that needs to change. The families shouldn’t feel they have done anything wrong.”