News In Focus
24 August 2006
Court breaks law as disabled juror is turned away
A disabled woman has criticised the Scottish Courts Service after being excused from jury service because a sheriff court could not accommodate her wheelchair.
Andrea Powrie was selected for jury duty at Elgin Sheriff Court but found that the jurors' room in the building is not accessible by wheelchair.
Mrs Powrie, 43, has been using a wheelchair for 12 years and said she believed Scottish courts should be setting an example by ensuring there was full access for people with disabilities. She had been looking forward to being part of society again after undergoing chemotherapy against cancer.
Other parts of the court building are accessible to wheelchairs but the jurors' room has steps up to it, making it inaccessible.
The Scottish Court Service said there was an ongoing programme to ensure courts across Scotland were compliant with disability discrimination legislation, and improvement work was due to be carried out at Elgin Sheriff Court.