Hundreds of drug driving prosecutions abandoned due to forensic delays
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Hundreds of drug driving prosecutions have been abandoned in recent years after becoming time-barred due to forensic testing backlogs, according to a new report.
A total of 444 cases between October 2019 and the end of July 2022 were not able to progress to prosecution because of forensic testing and analysis delays and having reached the current statutory 12-month time limit.
The figure is included in a report produced by Fiona Douglas, director of forensic services, for today’s Scottish Police Authority (SPA) meeting.
The Scottish government has agreed to provide a further £370,000 to secure a new outsourcing contract to help with the backlog, which is now in the “final stages” of being agreed.
“From September this new contract will help relieve some of the pressures from the continued higher-than-predicted demand for drug-driving toxicology services in Scotland,” the report states.
It adds: “Forensic Services are working closely with Police Scotland, COPFS and the Scottish Government to manage and minimise risks and to develop a sustainable system-wide solution that can meet future demand and mitigate against cases reaching their statutory time limit as a result of forensic testing and analysis in the future.”
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