Copfs

The total number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) containing at least one element of hate crime rose to 5,525 in 2020-21, four per cent more than 2019-20, new figures show. A report entitled Hate Crime in Scotland 2020-21 published today brings together f

Scottish Water has been fined £6,700 at Dundee Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to an incident of water pollution in Fife in 2018. Approximately 400 litres of a chemical coagulant were discharged into the River Eden in October 2018 resulting in the death of at least 500 trout and salmo

A man who shot and killed another man on his doorstep has been jailed. Sean Orman has been jailed for life after being found guilty of the murder of Bradley Welsh and attempted murder of David McMillan at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Two men have been jailed after they were caught transporting guns. Mark Kirkby and Ku Wing Kwok plead guilty to possessing illegal firearms and ammunition without a license when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on 1 March 2021.

A man who was found with suitcases full of more than £800,000 in cash at Glasgow Airport has been jailed and the money has been seized.

Scotland's lowest-paid prosecutors could receive an £8,000 increase to their salary next year as part of a £5.6 million pay offer aimed at averting a strike in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). The three-year pay offer follows a ballot for industrial action launched

The terms of reference for an inspection into how the Crown Office handles criminal complaints made against the police have been published. In 2019-20, there were 286 criminal allegations made against the police.

Calls have been made for an inquiry into the malicious prosecution of two men involved in the sale of Rangers after the Lord Advocate publicly apologised to them and said there had been no criminal misconduct at the Crown Office. James Wolffe QC said the case against David Whitehouse and Paul Clark

Two drugs couriers have been jailed after being caught bringing almost £6 million worth of cocaine into Scotland. David Murdoch, 56, and Graham McCulloch, 39, both pled guilty to supplying drugs and possessing criminal property in connection with serious organised crime.

A man who possessed a crossbow and other items for terrorist purposes has been jailed. Gabrielle Friel had amassed a collection of weapons in his Edinburgh flat, including a crossbow, scope, 15 crossbow arrows, a machete and ballistic vest.

A trustee who embezzled hundreds of thousands from a charity has been ordered to pay back £700,000 in profit. Architect Ian Brash, from Wallyford, East Lothian, admitted embezzling £358,832 from the Dr Robert Malcolm Trust between August 2010 and September 2014.

The leader of a drugs gang that supplied heroin and cocaine in the central belt has been told he must pay back the profit of his crimes. In October last year, Anthony O’Hare was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to supplying drugs, directing others to commit serious crimes and money

A Crown Office employee who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds in drugs and cash from an evidence store has been jailed. Katherine Vaughan, 34, of Aberdeen, was employed as a production keeper for the Crown Office. She embezzled more than £90,000 in cash and stole £147,000 of drugs, i

The FDA trade union has today launched a ballot for industrial action over the fact Crown Office lawyers are paid less than their Scottish government counterparts.  The move could see about 500 procurators fiscal walk out early next year.

A Glasgow based company has admitted a health and safety offence after an employee fell through a fragile plasterboard ceiling, sustaining life-changing injuries. Alfa (Wholesale) Limited, a wholesale grocery, catering supply and household goods company, pled guilty to a contravention of Sections 2(