Criminal Defence Lawyers Edinburgh

The long term downward trend in crime on Britain’s rail systems has continued with a 9.1% fall in notifiable crime in 2011/12, the eighth successive year crime has gone down.

Figures for twelve crime groups published by British Transport Police show that violent crime fell by 2.9%, whilst robberies were down 9.6% and vandalism (criminal damage) by 21.6%. Theft also fell, with theft of passengers’ property down 10.4% and theft of railway property down 12.8%.

In 2011/12, BTP also achieved all eleven of its national policing plan targets and 43 out of 47 local targets. National targets include reducing crime, disruption and anti-social behaviour whilst improving value for money.

Crime on the railways over the past five years has fallen by over 30%.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has issued guidance on the intentional or reckless sexual transmission of, or exposure to, sexually transmitted infections.

The policy has been drawn up in consultation with the Public Health Sector and other interested groups, including the Terrence Higgins Trust, HIV Scotland and the National AIDS Trust.

COPFS is one of the few prosecution services worldwide who have proactively published their prosecution guidance on this issue.

The Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland QC, said:

“This policy sets out clear guidance to prosecutors on cases where there is an allegation of sexual transmission of, or exposure to, infections which have serious, and potentially life-threatening consequences for the person infected.

“In preparing this policy, we have consulted closely with the public health sector alongside health charities and interest groups.

"We are publishing this guidance because we recognise that it is important to provide clarity and consistency on this area of the law. We also recognise the devastating effect that such diseases can have, and we will prosecute where it is in the public interest to do so, taking into account the rights of both victim and accused as well as any public health concerns."

Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published statistics on drug seizures by Scottish Police Forces, which give the number and quantity of drugs seized by the eight Scottish police forces in 2010-11.

A pilot project to tackle the problem of youth offending in Aberdeen has successfully helped to reduce the number of crimes committed by young people.

The system, which is being extended to local authorities across Scotland, aims to hold young people to account for their behaviour and stop them following the wrong path into a life of crime.

The final report into the pilot of Whole System Approach in Aberdeen revealed a 20% reduction in youth crime between 2008-09 and last year. It also showed that:

Three senior procurators fiscal have been appointed to lead new prosecution ‘networks’ covering local Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) offices across Scotland.

The three ‘networks’ structure (North; East; and West) has replaced the COPFS previous eleven ‘area’ structure. The appointment of the new senior procurators fiscal: John Dunn (West); David Harvie (North); and John Logue (East), was announced by the Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland QC.

The restructuring will allow the COPFS to use its technology to the full, with teams of staff from around Scotland working together to make the best use of resources and provide a more efficient and effective service to the public.

Specialism in all prosecution work is now at the core of the COPFS with the introduction of the new structure.

The move builds on the approach already taken at a national level where specialist prosecutors are already embedded in areas of work such as: Sexual Crime; Serious and Organised Crime; Health and Safety, and have delivered significant results.