Former sheriff’s legal fees cost taxpayer £400,000

It was announced last month that the 64-year-old would be removed from office after an independent tribunal report found that his misbehaviour rendered him unfit for judicial office.

He had been suspended on full pay after the allegations came to light in 2018, which amounts to a total of £1 million. His legal costs were met by the public purse.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance had refused to disclose the costs but the Daily Mail obtained them under a freedom of information request.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: “It’s extraordinary it took the judiciary so long to deal with this rogue sheriff who is rightly now kicked off the bench.

“This costs taxpayers a fortune but, even worse, has prolonged the trauma of the female complainers.”

Ms Constance said: “Scottish ministers are obliged to pay such expenses as they consider are reasonably required to be incurred to enable a tribunal to carry out its functions.”