With sheriff court jury trials now re-started across Scotland, following the introduction of remote jury centres, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service are now in a position to link Dumfries Sheriff Court to the remote jury centre based in Ayr.
This will avoid Dumfries jury cases being transferred to Ayr Sheriff Court and work is underway to expand our technical infrastructure and prepare the court for jury trials.
David Fraser, SCTS Executive Director for Court Operations said: “Our remote jury centres have been hugely successful in re-starting jury trials within a safe environment for jurors and all court users. I am delighted that we are now in a position to extend this facility to Dumfries Sheriff Court.”Sheriff Principal Anwar, Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway said: “With the news that we are now is a position to bring Dumfries into the remote jury centre programme, I am actively engaging with Crown and defence agents to move quickly to put the court programme in place for jury trials to restart in Dumfries. I know this will be welcomed by all those concerned with justice and court business at Dumfries Sheriff Court.”
The first Dumfries sitting, linked to the remote jury centre, is planned for 19 April 2021.
