Glasgow Solicitors Blog from The GLP

A Confiscation Order for £4,444 has been made at Edinburgh Sheriff Court against a 25-year-old man serving a prison sentence for drugs offences. A Confiscation Order is an order made by the court following criminal conviction, to pay a fixed sum of money from the proceeds of crime.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland’s sole prosecuting authority, has launched a pilot to text witnesses to remind them to attend court.

The Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland QC, has announced a zero tolerance crackdown on knife carrying over the next six weeks in a pilot project targeting Scotland’s town and city centres. Anyone caught in these areas in possession of a knife will be arrested and prosecuted before a Sheriff and jury, resulting in a potential increase from a maximum prison term of one year to four years.

Key changes to a centuries old principle of Scots law which prevents a person being tried twice for the same offence are now in force.

A package of proposals to overhaul Scots criminal law has been unveiled following a year-long independent review by the High Court Judge, Lord Carloway.