Thorley Stephenson Solicitors Edinburgh Blog

There has been a call to ban the declaration of unspent criminal convictions on job applications following a study carried out by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR). The recent study concluded that potential job applicants appear to be avoiding applying for work on the basis that currently they are required to check a box disclosing their unspent convictions.

In a landmark case, a woman who claims she was raped by her ex-boyfriend and a domestic abuse victim is suing her former partner for personal injury damages.

Convictions for violent and sexual offences are on the rise despite an overall fall in the number of cases coming before the Scottish courts. Official statistics released on Tuesday – named Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2017-18 – found the number of convictions for crimes of violence increased five per cent in 2017-18, including rises in attempted murder, serious assault and a 17 per cent jump in homicides.

Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has appeared at court after he was arrested and charged by the police for attempted rape and sexual assault. Salmond faces 14 charges – two counts of attempted rape, nine counts of sexual assault, two of indecent assault, and one of breach of the peace.

Last month, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice Humza Yousaf announced that Scottish Ministers will meet to discuss how criminal law can be strengthened in order to better tackle misogynistic behaviour.