Lord Advocate has said female rape victims are 'not experiencing justice'Women are being failed by Scotland's justice system, according to the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain.
But she said the low conviction rates for rape mean that 'the prosecution of sexual offences requires a distinct approach'. He had previously escaped jail because he was only 17 at the time and guidelines introduced by the SNP gives leniency to under-25s.Sean Hogg had his conviction for the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Dalkeith, Midlothian, quashed after the Appeal Court ruled the judge in his trial had misdirected the jury
'These figures alone serve to highlight the extent of the challenge faced in the prosecution of sexual crime, and they should not be taken to mean that women and children cannot be believed. Ms Bain added that the plan for juryless trials 'requires mature reflection and debate'. She said: 'The justice system cannot stand still.The controversial proposal was made in a 2021 review by Lady Dorrian of how courts in Scotland deal with sex offence allegations