Forfar launches ‘hug a hoodie’ court

A new “problem solving” court has been introduced at Forfar Sheriff Court to deal with troubled offenders in Tayside.

The court no longer deals with indictment matters after the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) removed its sheriff and jury functions, with cases being transferred to Dundee.

Sheriff Marysia Lewis has rebranded it a problem-solving court – tasked with monitoring troubled individuals – though one insider has called it a “hug a hoodie” court.

Sittings will deal with issues including housing and access to drug and alcohol treatment.

Sheriff Gregor Murray told serial offender Dylan Ferguson, 19, that the court would “sit down with persistent offenders” such as him to address his difficulties.

He added: “More importantly, this stops the county of Angus from being subjected to your stupidity.”

The first sitting involved a 17-year-old who failed to complete a 200-hour unpaid work order and another two women with the Glen Isla Project which deals with persistent female offenders.

The Scottish Conservative’s Liam Kerr, MSP for the North East, said: “Our sheriffs will know better than anyone how best to handle the workload in courts that are under extreme pressure due to closures by the SNP government.

“If this will help to unclog the system and deal with persistent offenders more effectively, then I would be fully supportive.

“It is important that this initiative is monitored closely, however, to ensure it delivers positive results and that valuable court time is not being wasted.”

Forfar Sheriff Court is the only sheriff court in Angus, following the closure of Arbroath Sheriff Court.

SCTS chief operations officer David Fraser said: “The Problem Solving Court can deliver community sentences, known as structured deferred sentences, which are tailored to influence an individual’s behaviour and hold them accountable.

“Progress is regularly monitored by the same sheriff, usually through face-to-face review hearings, allowing for a relationship to develop and consistency to be maintained.

“The new court, introduced by Sheriff Principal Lewis, will sit fortnightly at Forfar and as has been introduced following consultation with justice partners.

“This is an exciting approach focused on tackling and changing offender behaviour.

“Any suggestion that the new court is somehow linked to pressures due to court closures is inaccurate and misses the point.”