News

A case against former Heart of Midlothian chairman and solicitor Leslie Deans has been dropped as a result of insufficient evidence. Mr Deans, 65, along with six others, faced money laundering charges in relation to a 2013 fraud inquiry.

Islamic extremists likely to radicalise their fellow inmates are to be held in special prison units, Justice Secretary Liz Truss has announced. The plans will go along with new vetting measures for Muslim prison chaplains and the removal of extremist literature from institutions’ libraries.

The owners and publishers of the now defunct News of the World, which was ordered to pay £200,000 in damages after the former MSP Tommy Sheridan won a defamation action against the Scottish edition of the newspaper, have had an application for a new trial refused. Judges in the Inner House of the C

David Anderson QC The UK’s spies should be permitted to continue harvesting huge amounts of data from email, according to the independent reviewer of terror legislation.

Alan Meek Alan Meek provides an update on the BHS saga.

Dominic and Nikita

The US Department of Justice is to phase out private prisons amid safety concerns. Thirteen private prison contracts will not be renewed over the coming five years.

Maya Foa The family of an 81-year-old British journalist fear he could die in a Bangladeshi prison from ill health within months if he is not released. Shafik Rehman, who used to work for the BBC, has now spent four months detained without charge.

The beneficiaries of a trust fund which was created by a now deceased woman to reduce the impact of inheritance tax on her family have had a petition for rectification of a deed of appointment refused by a judge in the Court of Session. Lord Turnbull ruled that the deed accurately expressed the inte

The Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland has today published a thematic report on fatal accident inquiries (FAIs). In recent years, the length of time taken between the date of death and the start of an FAI has attracted considerable criticism. This inspection sought to identify reasons for such

Plans to plug a gap in provisions on cross-border powers of arrest have been backed by the Faculty of Advocates. Current legislation allows people suspected of an offence in one part of the UK to be arrested in another part. They can be detained without warrant by police from the jurisdiction where

Lord Hardie The Edinburgh trams inquiry could result in criminal prosecutions according to its chair, Lord Hardie.

The Orange Order has called a bottled water company’s decision to drop a campaign called “Orange and Proud” in Scotland and Ireland “bizarre”. Volvic’s advertising board campaign will only appear in England and Wales over worries it might offend Catholics and give the impression the comp

Pictured: back from left – Scott Milne, joint managing partner; Lauren Fettes; Lynne Macintyre; Robin Dunlop; Craig Nicol. Front from left – Lynne Sturrock; Graham Lambert; Anne Miller

Police Scotland has denied there is an “overtime ban” after a whistle-blower claimed he was instructed to abandon drug investigations in case he incurred extra hours. The officer chose to remain anonymous as he risks “career suicide” by highlighting his concerns.