A JUDGE-LED initiative to speed up justice in Ayr Sheriff Court is proving successful in reducing the backlog of summary cases caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Many sheriff court cases scheduled for trial are resolved by an agreed guilty plea between the prosecutor and the defence agent, often taking place the day a trial is due to start.

However, this means witnesses attend unnecessarily and a slot in the programme is used, preventing another case from proceeding to trial.

Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar has now facilitated weekly ‘court surgeries’ which enable physically distanced discussion between the defence and the prosecution to resolve cases at an earlier stage.

The bespoke surgeries have now been set up in Ayr, Airdrie, Dumfries, Lanark, and Stranraer – with almost 90 per cent of cases discussed resolving early, freeing up space in the court programme.

Sheriff Principal Anwar said: “Not only are the surgeries increasing the efficiency of the courts, but they are also preventing witnesses and complainers from attending unnecessarily. It is a positive outcome for all involved.”