Offenders convicted of domestic abuse offences have so far not been admitted to the court but a new scheme offering an alternative to custody will let the court consider such offences.

Under the Caledonian System, being rolled out across Glasgow, a convicted abuser participates in a programme aiming to address their violent behaviour and improve the lives of the people they affect.

This Alcohol Court is the latest “problem-solving court” established in Glasgow following the creation of the successful Drug Court in 2001.

The court was launched as a pilot in February last year, and became a permanent fixture in the Glasgow court programme within six months.

It deals with offenders who plead guilty to, or are convicted of, charges involving violence or dishonesty; public order offences; or drink driving offences, in circumstances where the offender accepts, or it appears to the court, that alcohol abuse significantly contributed to the offending.

In the first 12 months, a total of 128 offenders were referred to the Alcohol Court. To date, 61 per cent of those referred to the court have been made the subject of an Alcohol Court order, together with the monitoring that accompanies them.

A total of 51 Community Payback Orders and 27 Structured Deferred Sentences were imposed in the first year. Only three of the orders made have been revoked for non-compliance.