GLASGOW Sheriff Court is to begin operating the city's first alcohol court to help offenders who commit crime while abusing booze.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service confirmed the pilot court project will begin operating this month.
The alcohol court, which is to be presided over by Sheriff Iain Fleming, is the latest 'problem-solving court' to be launched in Scotland and follows the creation of the successful drug court at Glasgow, which has been in operation since 2001.
At the outset, the Glasgow pilot will apply to accused appearing in the sheriff summary courts who plead guilty to, or are convicted of, charges involving violence or dishonesty; public order offences; or drink driving offences in circumstances in which it appears or is accepted that alcohol abuse has significantly contributed to the offending.
The pilot, however, is directed towards those who face charges which do not contain a domestic element.
The offender must be a Glasgow resident and the target age is those aged under 35 who have two or more previous convictions for offences involving violence or dishonesty; public order offences; or drink driving.
But The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said the scope of the target group will remain the subject of review.
If the presiding sheriff at the time of plea or conviction forms the view that an offender falling within those parameters may benefit from the problem solving approach the court will adopt, the sheriff will request an Alcohol Court Assessment Report and defer sentence to the next suitable alcohol court.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said: "The aim of the pilot court is to deliver sentences which are tailored to influence an individual’s behaviour and hold them accountable, with progress rigorously monitored by the same sheriff."
The pilot scheme is supported by both the Social Work Department of Glasgow City Council and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.
One of the city's leading charities, which helps people with addiction issues has welcomed the move.
Addaction Scotland, which is the country’s largest drug and alcohol charity, said structured intervention can divert people from the criminal justice system towards the help they need.
Andrew Horne, who is director of Addaction Scotland, said: “We fully support a new specialised alcohol court in the city. We believe that structured intervention can divert people from the criminal justice system towards the help they need. In addition, the court will monitor their recovery progress which can fuel people’s efforts to turn their lives around.”
Andrew added: “One of our key aims at Addaction is to make substance misuse a health matter and not a criminal one. Giving people the support they need to break the cycle and consequently make lasting changes in Scotland’s drug and alcohol landscape, is better than the revolving door of the prison system.
“Financial constraints make it difficult for organisations like Addaction to support as many people as we’d like to, so new projects like this one will further our impact.”
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