Neil Gray admits SNP's flagship sexual offences court will be 'difficult to deliver'
The flagship court has a key part of the Scottish government’s landmark justice reforms agreed by MSPs last year
SNP Justice Secretary has admitted setting up a sexual offences court will be “difficult to deliver” after no funding was allocated to the flagship project.
The Scottish government brought forward plans for the standalone sexual offences court as part of the landmark Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill which scrapped the not proven verdict for criminal trials.
But the rest of the legislation, including access to independent legal representation for victims and the sexual offences court, has not been implemented.
On Tuesday, The Scotsman revealed that the Crown Office has warned MSPs that no funding has been put forward from SNP ministers to begin work on the sexual offences court.
READ MORE: Rape survivors risk being 'let down' as SNP ministers fail to fund flagship sexual offences court
Neil Gray, appearing in front of Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee, stressed that he did not “underestimate the challenge” of the reforms, but insisted it is “necessary”.
The Justice Secretary pointed to First Minister John Swinney’s commitment to address the “pernicious situation” of violence against women and girls amid “worrying trends”.
Figures released last week showed the number of rapes and attempted rapes reported in Scotland rose by almost one third in four years, to 3,240 for the year to June 2026.
Sexual crimes overall have increased 11 per cent in the past four years and 9 per cent just in the last 12 months, with 16,560 recorded in the year to June.
Speaking in Holyrood as he laid out his programme for government, Mr Swinney pledged his “personal leadership required to tackle the epidemic of male violence against women and girls in our society”.
Mr Swinney argued his government will make ”early progress”by delivering a misogyny bill that was first promised in 2022.
He also vowed to develop “a new multi-year fund for specialist third sector organisations” that support victims of sexual violence, but no extra money has been confirmed.
Mr Swinney’s programme for government commits to “the establishment of a trauma-informed sexual offences court” but the only timescale for delivery is before the next election in 2031.
The sexual offences court, a key recommendation following a review by Lady Dorrian, will allow all complainers to give evidence in advance, while survivors and witnesses will, in theory at least, face less waits for cases to be heard.
Mr Gray said work was “ongoing” with the courts and victim organisations to begin moving the sexual offences court forward.
He claimed that the Crown Office had not been given additional cash for the project because “there has been no request for additional resources”.
He added: “The work for this is not anticipated to come through until next financial year.
“This is going to be a complex area. It’s going to be difficult to deliver. It is a substantial reform and change – one that is necessary and that I support.
“But I don’t underestimate the challenge here in doing so.
“I will work with all of those partners that I’ve spoken of to ensure that we are able to get it delivered.”
Rape Crisis Scotland external affairs manager, Nicola Love, said: “The criminal justice process does not work for survivors. This is a complicated but necessary step to creating a system which ends unacceptable wait times, floating trial diets and fix a system which regularly and unnecessarily retraumatises survivors.
“The Cabinet Secretary for Justice is right that this work is going to be difficult to deliver - but it’s absolutely crucial that it is delivered.”
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