Courtroom development planned for Kirkcaldy

Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service is submitting plans to Fife Council to build a two court complex to hear sheriff and jury cases and custodies in Kirkcaldy.

Two new criminal courtrooms and a court custody unit will be located within the existing Kirkcaldy police station building. SCTS state that the new courtrooms will improve efficiency and flexibility in managing day-to-day business, increasing the number of courtrooms and providing improved accommodation for court users, including victims, witnesses and jurors.

Once these are operational, the current justice of the peace court will be offered for sale on the open market.

The complex will bring the opportunity at a later stage to develop the entire building into an enlarged justice centre, providing the full range of justice services from a single location in Kirkcaldy.

Eric McQueen, SCTS chief executive, commented: "With financial support from Scottish Government we are taking this initial exciting step to improve court services within Kirkcaldy, which is consistent with our longer term ambition to establish justice centres in key locations in Scotland, including Fife.

"Current court performance at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court remains strong and continues to improve, with summary trials being offered within the agreed 16 week period. However the reporting and detection of crimes, particularly domestic abuse and sexual offences, has increased, not only in volume but in complexity requiring more court time, and the new court facilities will provide the flexibility to accommodate this business."

Chief Superintendent Colin Gall, Divisional Commander for Fife, added: "This opportunity will result in a key criminal justice partner being located within Kirkcaldy Police Station along with Police Scotland criminal justice resources and the existing local policing team."