MSPs set to back justice reforms abolishing Scotland's not proven verdict

MSPs are preparing to vote on a “landmark” justice reform Bill on Wednesday afternoon.

If approved, the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform legislation will bring in a series of measures to reform the justice system in Scotland.

It will abolish the not proven verdict in the Scottish courts system, and it will require a majority of two-thirds of jurors to support a conviction, instead of the current simple majority.

The legislation will also create a new, independent Victims Commissioner and expand the ability of those affected by crime to make victim impact statements in court.

A specialist sexual offences court will also be established under the legislation, which will give victims of such offences a lifelong right to anonymity.

The bill will also force the Parole Board to consider if killers have provided information on the whereabouts of their victims’ remains when considering if they should be freed from prison.

The change is known as Suzanne’s Law after Suzanne Pilley, who was murdered in 2010 but whose killer has never revealed the location of her body.

The vote comes after MSPs spent several hours debating amendments to the legislation on Tuesday.

Scottish justice secretary Angela Constance already said that if the “landmark Bill” is passed, it will “transform the experiences of victims and witnesses within Scotland’s justice system”.

She said the changes would mean that “victims will be heard, supported, protected and treated with compassion” while the rights of the accused “will continue to be safeguarded.”

However, the Scottish Conservatives argued that “common sense changes” were needed for them to back the Bill – which they have claimed is a “a Victims’ Bill in name only” and a “wasted opportunity”.

The Tories welcomed the abolition of the not proven verdict, as well as an earlier decision by Scottish ministers to abandon plans to introduce judge-only trials for cases of rape and attempted rape.

Speaking before the vote on Wednesday, Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr argued that the Scottish Government “must go further” in changing the legislation, otherwise ministers will be “selling victims short”.