Sexual offences court will be difficult to deliver but is necessary – minister

The creation of a sexual offences court in Scotland will be “difficult to deliver” and work on it will not begin until next year, the justice secretary has said.

Neil Gray told Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee that he did not “underestimate the challenge” of the reform, but said it is “necessary”.

He said the First Minister’s commitment to address the “pernicious situation” of violence against women and girls came amid “worrying trends”.

Figures released last week showed the number of rapes and attempted rapes reported in Scotland rose by almost one third in four years, to 3,240 for the year to June 2026.

Sexual crimes overall have increased 11% in the past four years and 9% just in the last 12 months, with 16,560 recorded in the year to June.

Speaking to MSPs on Wednesday, Gray described rising misogyny and violence against women and girls as a “malignant malevolence”.

He said the increasing rate of sexual crime will be of “deep concern” to communities, as he vowed to address the issue.

“This is a malignant malevolence in our society that we must address and that is the determination of this Government and one that we will absolutely put every possible situation forward in order to address,” he said.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeil asked the minister when a sexual offences court would be set up.

Gray said work is “ongoing” with the courts and victim organisations on the matter.

MSPs were told on Monday that no money had been provided to the Crown Office for the scheme.

Plans for the court were included in the same legislation that abolished Scotland’s controversial not proven verdict, the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Act, which was passed by Holyrood last year.

John Logue, chief executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), revealed the organisation had not been given any extra funding to bring in changes outlined in the legislation, adding the establishment of a sexual offences court is a “sizeable commitment”.

The justice secretary said the Crown had not been given additional cash because “there has been no request for additional resources”, adding: “The work for this is not anticipated to come through until next financial year.

“This is going to be a complex area. It’s going to be difficult to deliver. It is a substantial reform and change – one that is necessary and that I support.

“But I don’t underestimate the challenge here in doing so.

“I will work with all of those partners that I’ve spoken of to ensure that we are able to get it delivered.”