An MSP has been accused of slandering ”the entire population of Perthshire” in a row over court closures.
Labour’s Jenny Marra, who is based in Dundee, suggested juries in Perth ”are not so concerned” about crimes that take place in Dundee. Her comments were made during a Holyrood debate over plans to axe sheriff courts across Scotland.
Ms Marra, the party’s community safety spokeswoman, said she had received ”anecdotal evidence” that trials for Dundee crimes heard by juries in Perth are failing to secure a conviction ”every time”.
She added: ”It might be because the juries were not persuaded of the guilt of the accused ” but there is also a logical possibility that juries in Perth are not so concerned about summary crimes that take place inDundee, outwith their own community.”
The claim was angrily rejected by Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart, who branded it ”unfounded nonsense”.
”With one utterly baseless assertion, this Labour MSP has slandered the entire population of Perthshire,” said the SNP MP. ”It is incredibly insulting to suggest that those citizens of Perthshire called to do jury duty in the Fair City do not care about crimes committed in Dundee.
”I am certain that if Ms Marra were to look at actual data rather than listening to hearsay she will find that there is no truth whatsoever to her astonishing claim that juries in Perth fail ‘every time to secure convictions’ in such cases.
”I cannot imagine what could have caused her to come up with such a notion but it is nave, unthinking and crass.”
Mid Scotland and Fife SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing called on Ms Marra to apologise for her ”ridiculous statement”
”She is guilty of taking neighbourly rivalry to a dangerous extreme and her comments were outrageously inflammatory,” she added.
”If this is not, in fact, what the Labour Party thinks of the people of Perth and Perthshire then the leadership of that party should take immediate action to ensure that the damaging impression that has been given is put right.”
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser described Ms Marra’s comments as “extremely disappointing”, adding: ”This is an insult to the people of Perth and I hope that the Labour MSP will apologise to the many Perth citizens who have carried out jury duty.”
Tory MSP Liz Smith added: ”It is unacceptable for an unfounded slander to be made against Perth’s jury system.”
Ms Marra said she had cited the allegation as an argument for keeping local sheriff courts open.
”The SNP fail to understand the need for local justice, evidenced by their plan to close local courts across Scotland,” she said. ”Anyone listening to the debate would know that I offered no slight against any jury. I was highlighting to the minister that this is a serious issue of local justice.
”People being tried for summary offences should face their peers in their own community, whether in Dundee, Perth, Forfar or Stonehaven. That is a sensible and vital principle on which Scottish justice is based.
“If the SNP were concerned about local justice, the minister would cancel the programme of local court closures across Scotland.”
The Scottish Court Service has drawn up a blueprint to axe numerous courts, including Cupar, Forfar and Stonehaven.