Procurator fiscal

But as some of our listeners will know, there are no inquests in Scotland, but there can be fatal accident inquiries.

Those are similar but not identical fact-finding processes and evidence is led by the Crown in the form of the Procurator Fiscal.

And while multiple inquests take place in every county in England on a daily basis, FAIs are much less common in Scotland and they're conducted not by a coroner but by a sheriff.

But I suppose what the FAI system has in common with the coronial system is that it leaves plenty of room for improvement and this came recently.

A fatal accident inquiry FAI into the death of a low-moss prisoner has begun.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, COPFs, has launched a first notice to begin the court process for a FAI into the death of Kieran McGinley.

The 33-year-old, who died on 24 April 2023, was in legal custody and in the care of the state at the time of his death.

A preliminary hearing will be held on November 20, 2026 at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on deaths investigations for COPFs, said, The Lord Advocate considers that the death of Kieran McGinley occurred whilst he was in legal custody and as such a fatal accident inquiry is mandatory.

The lodging of the first notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the Sheriff.

The purpose of an FAI includes determining the cause of death, the circumstances in which the death occurred and to establish what steps, if any, could have been taken to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances.

They said one of the volunteers needed treatment for a human bite.

Police confirmed a 45-year-old woman was arrested and charged in connection with an assault and the report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

In a post shared on Facebook, Glasgow Street Aid said there was zero tolerance for violence against volunteers and thanked the police for swiftly attending.

They wrote, being assaulted is not part of the job.

They also thanked Glasgow street pastors for checking on the volunteers.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said, Around 1.30am on Saturday September 26, officers received a report of the assault of a man on Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

A 45-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection and the report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

Founded in 2021, Glasgow Street Aid volunteers provide free emergency medical care and welfare support.

Crowe said she received the details from the solicitor acting for Webster.

referring to him only by his initials, but later writers identified him as Maurice Lothian, an Edinburgh solicitor who would eventually serve as the Procurator Fiscal.

According to Crowe, Lothian had spent many hours examining witnesses during the dispute.

Some were believed to be army officers, others had been brought into the house while attempts were being made to find the source of the activity.

The men have been charged in connection with a range of offences, including assault and possession of offensive weapons.

All five will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and are expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date.

As previously reported, police announced that a further eight people had been arrested and charged in connection with offences including assault, possession of an offensive weapon, hate crime and a breach of the peace.

A 14-year-old boy was also reported to the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration in connection with an alleged hate crime offence.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said five further people have been arrested and charged this week in connection with disorder in Glasgow on the 25th of July.

The men, aged 41, 39, 27, 23 and 22, were charged in connection with a range of offences including assault and possession of offensive weapons.

They'll all be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and they're expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on later dates.

A total of 30 people have now been arrested in connection with a number of offences linked to the disorder.