The Vue cinema on Shiprow now accommodates jurors.

Solicitor Gregor Kelly, partner at Lefevre Litigation, welcomed the move.

Mr Kelly said: “It is a great relief that Sheriff and Jury trials are recommencing in Aberdeen.

“It’s in the interests of the accused, victims of crime and members of the public that believe in a person’s democratic right to a fair trial that the most serious offences are tried as expeditiously as possible.

“The arrangements made for remote juries are excellent and safeguard those called to sit on them. I am pleased to have the first jury trial to run in Aberdeen for a year and myself and my colleague Liam Mcallister are looking forward to making inroads into our backlog of trials.”

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr noted that the backlog is cases cannot be attributed solely to the pandemic.

He said: “The justice backlog is a long-term issue in the north-east that cannot simply be blamed only on the pandemic.

“More than half the national trial backlog was built up before the pandemic with thousands of victims being forced to wait far too long to get the justice they need and deserve.

“This is why the return of jurors to Aberdeen Sheriff Court is a step in the right direction.

“The remote jurors centre at the Vue cinema will help to accelerate this process and give comfort to victims who have largely been left to feel like an afterthought through this process.

“The needs of victims must be put first by ensuring courts have the full use of alternative venues right across the city.”