New cases registered rise to 83 per cent of average monthly pre-Covid level

SCTS has published the first of a new monthly workbook to show the throughput of criminal cases in the courts.

It shows the volumes of cases being progressed each month in the High and Sheriff and Justice of the Peace courts from April 2020, compared against the monthly averages for 2019/20 (pre-Covid).

The September figures also show:

• Petitions, which provide a useful indicator of future solemn business, are 25 per cent higher than the average monthly pre-Covid level.
• With the initial introduction of High Court remote jury centres now in place, evidence led trials are now 43 per cent of the average monthly pre-Covid level. This will increase during November as the normal capacity for 16 trials per day is restored. Since July, an increase in preliminary and continued preliminary hearings have been scheduled to enable resolution or to allow trial diets to be assigned that were unable to progress during the peak of the pandemic.
• Remote jury centres are being extended across Scotland to re-start sheriff court jury trials, with Lothian and Borders and Glasgow and Strathkelvin commencing by December. The other sheriffdoms will follow in the early part of 2021.
• Evidence led summary trials in the sheriff courts are now 76 per cent of the average monthly pre-Covid levels.
• The majority of criminal cases are resolved without the need for a trial and the total volume of cases concluded in September was 89 per cent of the average monthly pre-Covid level.

SCTS chief executive, Eric McQueen, said: “Our courts are an essential public service and are open for business. Despite the Covid-19 restrictions we have put stringent measures in place to enable them to operate in a safe manner, protecting the health of our staff, judiciary and court users.

“Since the first full month’s criminal programme in September, we can see considerable progress and a trajectory towards pre-Covid levels, both in trials and cases resolved without trial. This is the result of incredible collaboration across the courts, the judiciary, Scottish government, justice organisations, the legal profession and the third sector.

“While these are encouraging signs in getting back to normal operating levels, scheduled cases are twice the normal level and the average waiting period for trials has doubled to 12 months in the High Court, 15 months in Sheriff Solemn and 6 months in Sheriff Summary. We are working closely with all those involved in the justice system to find solutions to reduce delays.

“I am delighted that we have been able to commence publication of these figures on a monthly basis which will show the progress we are making and challenges we still face against the backdrop of a global pandemic.”