Record-breaking Scottish cyclist Josh Quigley has thrown his support behind plans for the return of the Tour de Forth sportive, which was cancelled last year due to Covid-19.
The annual event has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities, including its main beneficiary Cash for Kids, with both elite and amateur cyclists taking on the challenge of a 97.3km sportive across the East of Scotland.
Organisers are now hoping that restrictions will be eased enough for this year’s event to go ahead on Sunday 6th June. More than 130 riders are already automatically signed up after agreeing to carry over their plans from last year. If restrictions are eased in the coming weeks, new applications will be opened.
Ahead of the planned event, Josh is backing plans to encourage cyclists of all ages and abilities to take part in a ‘virtual Tour de Forth’ – raising funds for charity as well as improving their fitness levels and mental health.
A series of online challenges are already underway, including an 800km total distance challenge for beginners – the equivalent of cycling from Edinburgh to Brighton!
For Livingston-born Josh, cycling became a passion that helped him tackle his own mental health challenges. The 28-year-old decided to make the sport his full-time occupation and last year he shaved six minutes off the North Coast 500 world record, completing the 516-mile route in just 31 hours and 19 minutes.
Josh, who’s currently recovering after a cycling accident in Dubai, said:“I’m absolutely delighted to be involved with Tour De Forth and it’s a huge honour for me to be an ambassador of this event.
“I am really passionate about the sport of cycling and its potential to change and transform lives. I know firsthand the benefits of cycling as it’s something that helped me overcome mental health issues and achieve things on the bike that I never dreamed would be possible.
“When I started cycling a few years ago, I would have been one of the last people to finish an event like this. But since then I have gone on to cycle around the world and break records on the bike. This is what was possible through hard work, dedication and having the courage to step outside my comfort zone and do things that made me uncomfortable.
“I believe that the Tour De Forth is a great opportunity for people to take on a challenge that will push them to go further than they have been before whilst having fun in a positive and supportive team environment”
In 2019, the Tour de Forth race featured more than 800 riders, taking part in the traditional 97.3km route and a shorter 44km ‘nouveau’ route. The event has become a major fixture in the Scottish cycling calendar with individuals and businesses from across the country taking part.
Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids works in partnership with the organisers, with donations helping the charity to support young people throughout Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Falkirk, disadvantaged through poverty, sickness or disability.
Charity Manager, Victoria Hendry, said:“The Tour de Forth has become a huge part of the cycling calendar in Edinburgh and the commitment and passion from both amateur and elite cyclists has been incredibly inspiring.
“In 2019, we raised more than £21,000 for Cash for Kids bringing the total fundraising from the Tour de Forth event to over £200,000. I’m continually amazed by how committed everyone is. It’s a challenging event, but the support people show to each other and the sense of fun on the day is amazing.
“While we’re not yet in a position to open applications for 2021’s event, we’re all working tirelessly behind the scenes and crossing our fingers, hoping it can go ahead.
“In the meantime, I’d urge cyclists, either new or established to cycling and people looking to work on their lockdown-fitness to sign up to our virtual event via the Tour de Forth website.
In exchange for a £100 donation to Cash for Kids or raising £100 through your own fundraising efforts you can take part in online cycles and a variety of individual challenges. It’s a great way to get back to fitness, as well as helping to make a real difference to the lives of young people in the region at an incredibly difficult time.”
Tour de Forth Chairman, Neil Davidson, said:“I am delighted Josh has agreed to join as ambassador for Tour de Forth. Josh has excelled with his attempts at various world cycling records, especially when he completed the North Coast 500 in just over 31 hours.
“It takes lots of training, preparation, and a real determination to achieve that kind of record and I hope his inspiration will help a lot of our participants in both the Virtual challenge and to complete the Tour de Forth event on Sunday 6th June.”
To take part in the Virtual Tour de Forth, and sign-up for updates on the 2021 race plans, head to:
Do you live in Muirhouse, Pilton or Drylaw? Would you like to be in our advisory group?
We are looking for people from the Muirhouse, Pilton and Drylaw areas to join the advisory group for the Lauriston Farm project.
The project seeks to transforming an existing farm into an urban food production and community hub that benefits, supports and regenerates the environment and all those connected to it.
The group will meet once a month to give input, insight, thoughts and advice on different aspects of the farm project as it progresses.
In terms of time commitment, there will be an introductory meeting in late March and monthly meetings thereafter. (maximum one 2hr meeting per month).
If you would be interested in joining the group please e-mail:
Two neighbours in Leith are celebrating today after learning they have scooped £30,000 each thanks to their postcode.
The windfall comes after EH6 8SF was announced as a winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Saturday 20th March.
The winners chose to remain anonymous but their prizes will be paid into their bank accounts.
People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson sent his well-wishes to the winners. He said: “Congratulations to our winners in Edinburgh today, what a fantastic surprise to start your weekend! I hope they go and enjoy their winnings and treat themselves to something special.”
People’s Postcode Lottery costs £10 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.
A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have helped raise over £700 million to date for thousands of good causes across Britain and internationally.
This draw was promoted on behalf of Postcode Justice Trust which supports organisations including Amnesty International, Helen Bamber Foundation and Thomson Reuters Foundation with regular grant funding.
Children in some of the country’s most deprived areas are to benefit from free organised outdoor play activities aimed at improving their health and wellbeing.
A total of £500,000 is being provided to expand the Outdoor Community Play Fund in 2021-22, which is administered by Inspiring Scotland.
In 2020-21 the fund distributed £380,000 to 23 play charities reaching more than 5,000 children in Scotland’s most deprived communities.
Children’s Minister Maree Todd said: “Protecting children’s right to play has been one of the key priorities in our decision making to suppress transmission of the virus. We understand the value of outdoor play for children’s wellbeing and resilience, as well as their physical and mental health.
“Children and families from more deprived areas can often find it more difficult to access organised outdoor activities, so I’m pleased that this additional funding will help even more children play outside in a safe and fun way.”
Karen Shepherd, Play Development Officer of Aberdeen Play Forum, who were recipients of funding in 2020/21, said: “A lot of parents told us that they and their children had been very isolated and had almost forgotten how to play and socialise with others. Many families do not have access to a garden or safe play space so had been deprived.
“The sessions we were able to put on were welcomed as they gave safe and structured opportunities for those involved, as well as giving parents ideas to engage positively with play at home.”
The financial support has been announced as Play Scotland has published an updated progress report on Scotland’s National Play Strategy.
The report highlights the growing body of evidence on the adverse impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the associated restrictions on children and young people’s wellbeing, resulting from changes to their daily lives including reduced opportunities for play and social interaction with their peers.
The report makes recommendations across eight broad areas:
• refresh the Play Strategy and ensure national and local leadership support a child’s right to play • renew and develop the national and local commitment to outdoor play • listen to children and young people and act on what they say • ensure inclusion of all children and young people • ensure cross sectoral and inter professional approaches to play are in place • sustain and support play provision through adequate funding • maintain a focus on playful learning and play in schools • strengthen the play sector nationally and locally
Resources are also available on the Parent Club website to support outdoor play for all families.
Study reveals two in five (40%) of us admit to not regularly getting a good night’s sleep
Dr Sarah Brewer, a GP, shares the health benefits of sleeping in the nude
New expert guide offers tips on how to get the best night’s sleep possible
Now that summer has begun in earnest, research reveals why ditching your PJ’s before bed could be more beneficial than you think.
In the summer months, the average household temperature in the UK rises to 20 degrees. With this in mind, online furniture retailer, Furniture Choice, polled the British public to find out how this could affect their sleeping habits, revealing that one in four (23%) Brits already choose to sleep in the nude, which doctors claim can result in significant health benefits.
The study also found that 40% of Brits don’t generally have a good night’s sleep, with nearly a quarter (24%) stating they only get six hours of sleep a night – despite the recommended 7-9 hours.
But the sleep issues don’t stop there as over a third (36%) reported waking up in the morning feeling tired, with a sore back (32%) and a sore neck (27%).
Dr Sarah Brewer, a general practitioner, explains that sleeping in the nude may not cure those aches and pains, but it does have other significant health benefits to consider, especially during the summer months: “Sleeping naked means that your body remains cooler during the night, which is important as overheating is a common cause of disturbed sleep.
“Being over-hot in bed by even 3-4 degrees changes brain-wave patterns, reduces the amount of time you spend in REM sleep, increases the chances of waking up and reduces deep sleep.”
Dr Brewer states there are five key benefits of sleeping naked:
Aids weight loss If sleep is disrupted from being too warm, your body produces more cortisol than usual, leading to an increased appetite.
Improves skin problems Overheating at night can worsen many skin conditions, such as eczema, so sleeping naked can help prevent this.
Reduces risk of fungal skin infections Candida yeast cells change from the superficial ‘harmless’ cell form, to invading threat form, when conditions are warm and moist. Sleeping naked and airing areas susceptible to thrush can lead to fewer recurrent Candida infections.
Improves relationships with significant other Sleeping naked gives a sense of freedom and may help couples feel more loving. Humans are highly-tuned to the sight of bare skin, which acts as a signal for sexual arousal.
Improves male fertility Testosterone hormone is secreted at night and rises in certain stages of sleep. If a man feels too hot and his sleep is disturbed as a result, his testosterone production may be reduced. Sleeping naked helps to promote a healthier sleep pattern, so normal testosterone production occurs.
With this in mind, experts at Furniture Choice developed a comprehensive guide to help people get the best night’s sleep possible. To find out more, visit:
Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture Choice, said: “It’s shocking to see how many Brits aren’t currently getting a good sleep every night. Our bodies repair themselves during sleep so a good night’s rest is crucial to a happy and healthy life.
“If thinking more about your bedroom attire, or lack thereof, is one way of fixing your sleeping pattern this summer, we think it’s definitely worth trying for those struggling to get some shut-eye.
“Staying away from blue-screen light a couple of hours before bed, and taking a bath, are also great ways to prepare our bodies for going to sleep. It’s also important to have a mattress and pillows that are designed to your requirements, ensuring you have a comfortable night’s sleep. Take a look at our sleep guide to get the most out of bedtime.”
To find out even more about how to improve your night’s sleep with the correct mattress choice, please visit:
More than 120,000 jobs for 16- to 24-year-olds have now been created through the government’s flagship Kickstart Scheme, with the UK Government making it even simpler for employers to join.
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment.
Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers 100% of the National Minimum Wage for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Young people are among the hardest hit in times like these, which is why we’re doing everything we can to ensure they’re not left without hope and opportunity”.
The City of Edinburgh Council has confirmed plans to take on employees using the Kickstart scheme. The council has identified placements within some of their services and are currently working across the Senior Management team to identify other opportunities which meet the conditions of the programme.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said:“It is very welcome news that Edinburgh City Council is getting on board with the Kickstart scheme. The scheme moving up a gear is pivotal to Scotland and the United Kingdom’s economic recovery from covid-19, providing many jobs for 16–24-year-olds.
“The scheme has removed the requirement that employers create a minimum of 30 vacancies to apply directly. This means that small businesses will be able to benefit from this and create greater opportunities for our young people.
“It is vital that we see a focus on job creation and this is yet another example of the UK government’s determination to put economic recovery at the forefront of recovery plans.
“Above all these policies are critical if our young people are to have a bright future. This is positive news and means that young Scots hit the hardest by the pandemic are given opportunities to start on a positive career path”.
The British Dental Association Scotland has urged immediate clarity from the Scottish Government, following comments from Health and Sport Secretary Jeane Freeman implying that NHS dentistry should be available at pre-pandemic levels.
Jeane Freeman stated today that “NHS services … should be as available now as they were before the pandemic started.”
While all treatments are now available from NHS practices, the service is operating at a fraction of its former capacity to keep to strict infection control protocols to limit the spread of the virus. The BDA understands practices across Scotland have been overwhelmed with calls following this statement.
The Scottish Government is currently only providing enough PPE to treat 10 patients per day (or 5 for Aerosol Generating Procedures involving high-speed instruments) covering just 20-30% of pre-Covid patient numbers.
The BDA has called for real commitment to restore pre-pandemic levels of dentistry. Unlike the Northern Irish and Welsh administrations, the Scottish Government has so far made no commitments to help practices invest in ventilation equipment, that can radically reduce or element the ‘fallow time’ gaps between appointments, designed to reduce the spread of the virus.
It is also seeking urgent interim funding to keep the service sustainable and help practices deal with the unprecedented backlog of patients.
Recent official data indicated that between September and November 2020 the number of adults seen by NHS dentists was around a third of the 2018-19 average, before falling to 28% of the 2018-19 average in December 2020.
In 2020, children and adults from the most deprived areas were less likely to have seen their dentist within the last two years than those from the least deprived areas (73.5% compared to 85.7% of children and 55.9% compared to 67.1% of adults). These inequalities in access between the most and least deprived areas have grown since 2019, particularly in children.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“Ministers seem to have forgotten that all dentists are operating at a fraction of their former capacity, to keep to strict infection protocols set by their government.
“With severe limits on access emergency and urgent cases need to be at the front of the queue. Sadly, this slip of the tongue has left phones ringing off the hook in practices across Scotland.
“We are facing an unprecedented backlog, and the Scottish Government needs to provide funding and support to restore routine services. As it stands if check-ups recommenced today, we wouldn’t be able to offer appointments for six months.
“Even before the pandemic Scotland’s oral health inequalities were a national scandal. Now that gap looks set to widen, with public health programmes suspended and millions unable to access care.
“Dentists are losing the chance to act on the early signs of decay, gum disease and oral cancers. If we’re ever going to turn the page we need to see real commitment from Government.”
A giant octopus has taken up residence at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, leaving bosses bamboozled as to where it has come from and why it is here.
The super-sized squid, known by the children at the hospital as “Olly”, is showing no sign of relocating and therefore staff, children and families have decided the only solution is to move themselves.
Fortunately, the brand new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) at Little France is soon ready to open, providing a spotless, octopus-free home for children and families from Edinburgh and beyond.
Fiona Mitchell, Service Director, Women’s and Children’s Services, NHS Lothian said: “We don’t know where Olly came from but he’s extremely friendly and certainly seems to have made himself at home here at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
“We suspect he sensed just how much love, care and memories this building holds, got all warm and cosy and couldn’t bring himself to leave.
“Unfortunately, with eight legs to navigate around, he takes up a quite a lot of space. Luckily for us, we have the new state-of-the-art hospital just down the road at Little France, so we’re getting ready to move there instead.”
Chloe (11), a regular visitor to the hospital, said: “It’s been really lovely to have Olly’s company while staying at the Sick Kids, but I’ve heard the new hospital has a flying dragon, a bagpipe playing dog and a snoring giant, so I’m very excited to meet them. I can’t wait!”
Roslyn Neely, CEO of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), said: “Olly has obviously heard about the tremendous care that the hospital provides and all the fun and distraction provided by our charity.
“However, we will soon have to bid him farewell as the time comes for us to move to our new home at the RHCYP. No child or young person wants to be in hospital, but for those who have to visit the new building, NHS Lothian and ECHC will be there to care for and support them to make their time there as positive as possible.
“For now, we’ll be leaving the wonderful Sick Kids hospital in Olly’s eight capable hands.”
ECHC has partnered with NHS Lothian to install the inflatable octopus at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children to create excitement about the move to the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and to reassure children, young people and families that this is a positive step for the city.
The inflatable tentacles will appear from different windows of the hospital from Friday 19 March to Monday 22 March. It is hoped the extraordinary sight will bring laughter to children and young people preparing to be transferred and ease any anxieties.
The new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People will fully open on Tuesday (23 March).
From this date, the remaining Children’s services presently located at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Sciennes, including A&E, will move to the stunning and world-class Royal Hospital for Children and Young People located next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France.
From 8am on Tuesday 23 March, all patients and any child or young person requiring access to A&E, must go to the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at Little France.
New Hopetoun Gardens, a garden centre in Broxburn, was among many retailers who were forced to suddenly close their doors when the pandemic hit in March last year.
The garden centre, which offers Scotland’s largest range of plants for sale, relied heavily on customer visits and face-to-face trading so the forced closure hit the business hard. With an average of 10,000 customers a month during a normal April and May, it missed out on the busiest trading months of the year.
Profits dropped considerably and 28 of its 36 staff were furloughed.
In April 2020, New Hopetoun Gardens approached Bank of Scotland for support and received a £195,000 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) funding package. This allowed the business to ensure it had sufficient cashflow, pay suppliers, care for the plants, and provide reassurance to its staff that operations will continue once restrictions have eased.
New Hopetoun Gardens introduced home delivery services for its customers and launched a new website six weeks ago to facilitate a click and collect service.
These measures have helped over the past few months but the decision after Christmas to give ‘non-essential’ status to the centre has hampered business prospects of opening before its busiest trading period in early spring.
Morag Macrae, joint owner of New Hopetoun Gardens, said: “The past year has been really challenging for us as a business. Most of our trading is done face-to-face and while we’re incredibly grateful to our fantastic customers who have used our click and collect and delivery service, we saw our revenue drop considerably.
“The change that saw us considered as a “non-essential” shop was quite a blow as we hoped to be open to take full benefit of our busy spring trading period.
“Thankfully, the support from Bank of Scotland has been a massive boost. It has allowed us to keep our operations running and keep us out of our overdraft which has been a huge relief.
“While times are still challenging, business has picked up considerably in March and we’re hoping we will be able to re-open soon to make the most out of our key trading period, when it is safe to do so.”
A cross-justice Review Group has recommended that a new, national specialist Court with trauma-informed procedures be created to deal with serious sexual offence cases.
As part of a wide ranging Review into the prosecution of sexual offences, the Group made extensive recommendations, most of which can be considered on a standalone basis. In addition to the specialist Court these include the presumed use of pre-recorded evidence; measures to improve the current experience of complainers with a particular focus on improved communication; steps to enhance jury involvement; and improvements to aspects of the Children’s Hearings System.
The Review Group was tasked principally with improving the experience of complainers in sexual offence cases within the Scottish court system, without compromising the rights of the accused. The recommendations will now be considered by the Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway.
Lady Dorrian said: “The wide ranging review was prompted in particular by the growth in volume and complexity of sexual offending cases affecting all sections of the criminal justice system. We have made recommendations which we believe will fundamentally change and improve the way sexual offences are prosecuted in Scotland.
“I am grateful to the Review Group, and to all those who contributed to its work, for their commitment and openness, and for the ‘clean sheet approach’ members adopted in undertaking this task, which has enabled a full scope of recommendations to be made for the consideration of the Lord Justice General.”
Recommendations – Summary
Specialist Court
A new, national specialist sexual offences Court would be created for serious cases (on indictment) in which trauma-informed practices and procedures were adopted and where those involved in the proceedings were trauma-informed, including support staff. Trauma-informed training for prosecutors and defence agents would include accredited courses in dealing with vulnerable witnesses and the use of examination techniques.
The cases would be presided over by a combination of High Court judges and sheriffs who had received trauma-informed training in best practice in the presentation of evidence of vulnerable witnesses. The Court would have sentencing powers of up to 10 years imprisonment with a provision for remit to the High Court for sentencing higher than that if required.
The presumption would be for the evidence given by the complainer to be pre-recorded.
Presumption of Pre-recorded Evidence
Evidence from complainers in serious sexual offence cases would be recorded by specially trained police officers as early as possible after an alleged incident. Additional evidence, including questioning on behalf of the accused, would also be recorded at the earliest possible opportunity following discussion at judicially lead management hearings. The recordings would, subject to court approval, be used in court as the complainer’s evidence reducing the need for the complainer to appear.
Improving complainers’ experiences
There would be a focus by all parties in the criminal justice sector on improving communication with complainers on basic concepts and the processes and procedures involved from the reporting of an allegation to its progression to trial.
One additional means of implementing this would be via the introduction of a single, trauma-informed point of contact who would provide specific information relevant to the particular case throughout the justice process.
A new Charter for complainers would be created setting out standards and values adopted by key criminal justice agencies. This would lay down the way in which complainers could expect to be treated, the information to which they were entitled, and how they would be communicated with. Complainers would also have access to publically funded, independent legal representation in order to oppose applications made to ask questions about their previous sexual history during evidence (known as a section 275 application).
The right for a complainer in proceedings not to be identified in the media would be expressly set out in legislation rather than relying upon current convention and agreement.
Improving efficiency
Improvements to the efficiency and conduct of proceedings would also be progressed by fixing targets to reduce the time from when an incident is reported to the conclusion of proceedings; early identification of prosecutors; and strengthening the requirement to lodge a meaningful indication of the accused’s position (defence statement).
Juries
There would be more focus on plain language directions given to the jury by the judge, and assistance in explaining the process of how they should go about making their decision (their route to verdict). Other steps to enhance the quality of jury involvement in trials would include the development of a pilot programme to communicate information to juries regarding certain rape myths and stereotypes.
Time-limited Pilot
The Group suggested that further consideration could be given to the possibility of developing a time-limited pilot of single judge, rape trials to fully assess and fully consider their effectiveness and how they are perceived by complainers, accused and lawyers from a practical perspective.
Children’s Hearings System
Separate recommendations in relation to the Children’s Hearings System and court proceedings in relation to sexual offences, were made taking into account their unique nature.
They include a focus on the adoption of trauma-informed practice; the nationwide rollout of training for specialist recorded interviewing of children and further progression of recommendations made in the Evidence and Procedure Review; the greater use of case management powers; and improving communication to complainers on what is involved in such proceedings, particularly the limits on the information that can be shared and the reasons for that.
Crown Agent David Harvie said: “The introduction of a specialist sexual offences court would be an important step towards meaningful improvement in the delivery of justice in Scotland, for complainers, for accused, for society as a whole and is one that I fully support.”
Chief Executive of Rape Crisis Scotland Sandy Brindley: “All too often survivors tell us that the process of seeking justice – and in particular their experience in court – is as least as traumatic as the attack(s) itself. It is clear that significant action is needed.
“The report of the Review Group, chaired by Lady Dorrian, is important and necessary. The recommendations are bold, evidence based, and have the potential to transform Scotland’s response to sexual crime. This is a unique opportunity for Scotland to lead the way internationally in improving access to justice for people who have experienced sexual crime.”
Dr Marsha Scott, Chief Executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, said: “Improving court experiences for survivors of sexual violence is vital in improving their access to justice, and in strengthening the overall response of the justice system to violence against women and children.
We welcome the publication of this Review, and believe that the recommendations it makes reflect the gap between the promise of justice and the lived experience of survivors who so often feel re-victimised and let down by court processes.
“This review is a helpful starting point and we will continue to work with colleagues across the justice system to further improve the court experiences of survivors of sexual violence, particularly child survivors who we would like to see further protections for.”
Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: “People who have gone through some of the most serious crime need reassurance that their contact with the justice system will not cause them further harm.
“It’s important that all agencies involved in supporting people in the aftermath of crime are sensitive to the needs of these people. Trauma-informed practice must become part of the DNA of Scotland’s justice system – from the introduction of a new specialist court, showing commitment to allowing pre-recording evidence, through to improving communication before, during and after a trial.
“We know only too well from our experience of supporting people after crime, the emotional, psychological and financial impact this can have on them. The recommendations as put forward from the cross-justice Review Group are an important step forward for transforming justice in Scotland to allow us to better meet the needs of victims, witnesses and families. We now need commitment from all involved to ensure that the recommendations are carried forward.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Samantha McCluskey, of Police Scotland, said: “The nature of rape and other serious sexual offences present considerable evidential challenges. Investigations must be rigorous and thorough to ensure the best evidence available is secured. Victims must have the confidence that their complaint will be taken seriously and professionally.
“We acknowledge the recommendations from the Review Group chaired by the Lord Justice Clerk, in particular the manner in which our specialist officers record statements made by complainers in cases of serious sexual offences.
“We are acutely aware of how difficult it can be to report sexual crime and we are continually working with partners on ways to improve the police response to reports of rape and sexual crime. We are also fully supportive of wider measures that will improve the experience of victims and survivors of sexual crime throughout the criminal justice process.”
Amanda Millar, President of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “This has been a very important piece of work involving representatives from across the justice system. We would support meaningful improvement for complainers and witnesses involved in sexual offence cases that ensure the rights of an accused person are preserved.
“Solicitors work with those accused and those who are victims of crime. Providing greater access to legal advice for complainers would help to ensure they can get the right legal advice and support in bringing forward cases which are by their very nature, highly sensitive and distressing.
“We would also support introducing a trauma-informed approach and provision of additional training for the professionals involved in these cases. Following on from recent research into how juries make decisions, the recommendation to address some of the myths that surround rape and sexual offences would offer information and insight for jury members.
“We have previously expressed significant reservations about such cases being heard by a single judge without a jury, which was proposed as a means to deal with the backlog of court cases caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. These concerns remain. It will be essential to consider all the implications if any pilot is to go ahead, with outcomes examined carefully along with other important areas of potential reform that impact on the scrutiny of evidence.
“We will examine the report’s recommendations in detail and continue our engagement to ensure that any proposals would work in practice and that we have a fair and transparent justice system that upholds the rule of law and operates in the interests of justice.”
Review Group
The cross-justice Review Group includes representatives from the judiciary, the SCTS, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society of Scotland, Police Scotland, representatives from the Scottish Children’s Reporter’s Administration, the Scottish Government, the Scottish Legal Aid Board and third sector organisations including Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid and Victim Support Scotland.
Pre-recorded Evidence
The Review Group’s recommendations are in furtherance to the recommendations of the judicially lead Evidence and Procedure Review.
