Lord Uist gives Crown short shrift for sending serious cases to Sheriff Court

The Crown has been told to “get its act together” by a judge after inappropriately marking cases for the Sheriff Court, The Herald reports.

Lord Uist made the remarks in the case of John McKinlay, jailed at Saughton Prison, who was charged with assault to severe injury after allegedly throwing hot water from a kettle over a fellow inmate.

His case was originally heard at Edinburgh Sheriff Court but Sheriff Norman Macfadyen decided his powers were inadequate, sending the case to the High Court.

Lord Uist said this was the second case this week “which should never have been in the Sheriff Court”.

He added: “The Crown should get its act together about the choice of forum for the prosecution of serious crime.”

A spokesperson for the Crown office said the choice of forum was made following a full consideration of the evidence and circumstances in each case.