Commentary on Sections Part 4 - Evidence Section 87 – Special measures for child witnesses and other vulnerable witnesses
419.This section amends sections 271-271M of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (“the 1995 Act”) to allow the special measures (listed at section 271H) that are available for vulnerable witness to be used in “any relevant criminal proceedings in the High Court or the sheriff court”, as defined in subsection 2(b)(ii).
420.Subsections (3)-(9) replace all references to “trial” in sections 271-271M with references to the relevant criminal proceedings. This allows the special measures to be used in proceedings other than trials.
421.Subsection (10) makes consequential amendment to section 288E (5) of the 1995 Act.