Advocate General Richard Keen charged with firearms offence

The Advocate General, Lord Keen of Elie QC, 62, has been charged with a firearms offence for allegedly breaching the Firearms Act 1968 s.2 after he failed to secure a shotgun.

The Conservative peer is charged with falling foul of the act on December 31 last year.

Court papers state that Lord Keen neglected to secure his 12-bore shotgun which must “be stored securely so as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, access to the shotguns by unauthorised persons”.

Lord Keen, a former Dean of Faculty took up his current post in May 2015. He recently represented the UK government at the Supreme Court in the Brexit case, arguing that Holyrood need not be consulted before Article 50 is triggered.

A UK government spokeswoman said: “We are aware Lord Keen is in correspondence with the procurator fiscal regarding a legal matter relating to an inadvertent breach of licence conditions.

“Having considered the issue carefully, we are satisfied that this matter has no bearing on Lord Keen’s ability to carry out his ministerial duties to the highest standard.”

The case calls at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 1.