Rape

1-15 of 41 Articles
Clock icon 2 minutes

First Minister John Swinney said he is “dissatisfied” with the lack of progress on the private prosecution of footballer David Goodwillie. Mr Goodwillie was ruled – on a balance of probabilities – to have raped Denise Clair in a civil case in 2017.

Clock icon 1 minute

Convictions for rape and attempted rape have more than doubled in a year. There were 160 convictions for rape and attempted rape in Scotland in 2021-22 – up 105 from 78 in the previous year – new figures show.

Clock icon 3 minutes

The Scottish Sentencing Council is seeking views on draft sentencing guidelines for rape offences. A public consultation on the proposed guidelines launches today and people from all backgrounds, legal or otherwise, are being urged to offer their views to help ensure that the guidelines are fit for

Clock icon 2 minutes

The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has welcomed a Pakistani legal reform that strengthens women's rights in marriage and criminalises unconsented sexual acts. The change in law has led to the first conviction for marital rape in the province of Sindh, where a K

Clock icon 1 minute

Nearly two-thirds of specially-trained rape barristers in England and Wales say they will quit because of poor pay, according to a landmark new survey. A survey by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) found that 64 per cent of prosecutors and 66 per cent of defence counsel on the rape and serious sexu

Clock icon 3 minutes

Lawyers have warned MSPs of the unacceptable risk posed by the proposal for juryless trials in rape cases. Law Society president Sheila Webster appeared before the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee to provide evidence on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

Clock icon 2 minutes

A legal request has been made to the Crown Office to reopen criminal proceedings against the footballer David Goodwillie. Mr Goodwillie, 34, was found to have raped a woman in a civil case in 2017. Criminal charges against him were dismissed, however, due to insufficient evidence. Denise Clair, the

Clock icon 2 minutes

The Crown is to appeal the sentence imposed on Sean Hogg for the rape of a 13-year-old girl on the grounds that it is ‘unduly lenient’. Hogg, 21, was convicted in the High Court on 7 March and was sentenced on 3 April 2023. He was ordered to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work. He wa

Clock icon 2 minutes

The rape victim whose attacker was given community service has received an apology from Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC over failures to inform her of the consequences of the conviction. The victim, who is now 18, was raped by Sean Hogg in Dalkeith Country Park, Midlothian, in 2018, when she was 13.

Clock icon 2 minutes

Free, independent legal representation is to be provided to sexual offence complainers, where applications are made to lead evidence of their sexual history in court. Currently there are safeguards, known as rape shield laws, which are intended to stop questioning about a complainer's sexual history

Clock icon 1 minute

An advocate has endorsed an MSP's call for legal representation for complainers in sexual assault and rape cases. Scottish Labour's Katy Clark has lodged a motion at Holyrood that calls for complainers to be given their own lawyers.

1-15 of 41 Articles