Dingwall court closure branded 'moronic'

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to close Dingwall Sheriff Court and centralise it in Inverness has been branded "moronic" by a legal expert.

The former procurator fiscal at Dingwall, David Hingston, predicts people could be kept waiting double the current time for their trial to be heard due to the extra workoad faced by the Inverness court.

Mr Hingston was speaking out after this week's publication of a report by the Scottish Court Service (SCS) which recommends 10 sheriff courts in Scotland be shut down to save money.

It says Dingwall Sheriff Court should be closed and all the criminal and civil business transferred to the sheriff court in Inverness.

The shake-up will also mean the closure and relocation to Inverness of Dingwall Justice of the Peace Court which is located in the town's sheriff court.

Tain Sheriff Court gets a reprieve and will take on extra work from Dornoch Sheriff Court which is also earmarked for closure.

The SCS said the proposals were "stark" but "proportionate".

However, critics say the closures will limit access to justice, create huge delays and hit the people in the pocket who can least afford it.

Outspoken critic Mr Hingston is also a former criminal lawyer.

He said: "The decision to close Dingwall Sheriff Court is moronic. Inverness Sheriff Court cannot cope as it is, full stop. It is already having to put off trials because there is neither the time nor the staff.

"All too frequently, trials in Inverness are put off because of a lack of time to hear them on the date fixed – with all that implies for families, victims and witnesses having to return to court on a later date.

"There is a three-month waiting time in Inverness for a trial to be heard. I predict that could rise to six months when you add the Dingwall court workload. Justice delayed is justice denied."

Mr Hingston said the SCS's argument that the number of cases coming to court was declining because of greater use of fiscal fines was flawed.

"Courts are open to the public and the press for good reason," he said. "This hidden procedure isn't justice and the large number of unpaid fiscal fines is simply a disgrace."

Mr Hingston, who lives in Munlochy on the Black Isle, said he feared for cash-strapped people trying to access solicitors for civil matters such as family issues and housing debt.

He added it was already difficult to find solicitors willing to take on legally-aided civil cases at the Dingwall court and lawyers would be even more reluctant if it meant travelling to other courts.

"That will require the public to instruct and travel to solicitors further afield," he said. "Many people in this position will struggle with the extra costs involved because those are the people who are in financial difficulties as it is."

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart said the court closures plan was "short-sighted" and believed any savings made from closing buildings would be cancelled out by increased travel claims by victims and witnesses.

He said: "Attending court is a daunting experience at any time, but making vulnerable victims and witnesses travel much greater distances than they already have to is ludicrous."

Rob Gibson, SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, whose party would bring in the changes, expressed concern for people travelling to court by public transport.

The changes, if passed by MSPs, would come into effect between November this year and January 2015.

* What are you views about the closure of Dingwall Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Courts and their relocation to Inverness? You can post your comments below.