The closure of a fifth of Scotland’s sheriff courts has been rubber stamped after SNP members of the justice committee sided with their party whips instead of the communities they represent.
Despite a letter of protest signed by the three leaders of Holyrood’s opposition parties, all nationalist members rejected calls to keep the courts open.
It means more than 10,000 cases a year across Scotland will have to be squeezed into the schedule of those remaining courts.
Ten sheriff courts and 13 Justice of the Peace courts will now shut their doors, with warnings from experts that this will set a precedent for even more closures once the SNP sets up their “justice centres” in areas of Scotland.
Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East said:
“The SNP members today had a chance to stand up for their communities, but instead took the cowardly way out to ensure they didn’t upset Alex Salmond
“This is a bad day for justice being delivered to communities in Angus and Kincardine.
“This is a damaging decision, and one that we will soon see is a mistake.
“Courts already over-burdened with work will have to take on even more cases, and that will risk lengthy delays to sensitive and significant cases.
“Witnesses and victims who find themselves involved in the justice system through no fault of their own will also be inconvenienced by longer and more awkward journeys.
“This decision proves the SNP Scottish Government isn’t serious about crime, and is yet more evidence of its soft-touch agenda.”