Criminal appeal figures show sharp increase

Average time to disposal increases, but backlog now cleared

News, 30 November 2005

Figures released today show that just over 3,150 criminal appeals against conviction and sentence were concluded in 2004-05, an increase of 18% compared with the previous year - but the time taken to complete an appeal increased sharply.

The criminal appeal statistics for 2004-05 also reveal that appeals involving High Court cases were the only category to show a decrease - down 7% to 427. The number of completed appeals increased for all other types of court of first instance: sheriff solemn (up 25% to 599), sheriff summary (up 19% to 1,839) and district and stipendiary magistrates (up 52% to 287).

Between 2003-04 and 2004-05, the overall average duration of completed criminal appeals increased by 21 per cent to 187 days, with increases recorded for all classes of appeal. This partly reflects efforts made over the last 18 months to clear a backlog of outstanding criminal appeal business. There is currently, at November 2005, no backlog of appeal cases.

The overall average breaks down into 368 days on average for solemn appeals against conviction compared to 173 days for appeals against sentence only. The corresponding figures for summary procedure are 324 days and 138 days.

Of the total number of appeals completed in 2004-05, 45% were refused at the sift stage or abandoned and 25% were dismissed. The remaining appeals were sustained, either in relation to appeals against conviction (5%) or against sentence (23%). A small number of appeals resulted in an increase in the original sentence imposed.