Friday, February 03, 2012

CAREER CROOKED : Investigation reveals Scottish judges are CONVICTED CRIMINALS, Drunk Drivers,Tax Dodgers & alleged BENEFITS CHEATS

Mulholland & judgeJudges appointed by Scottish Ministers on the say so of other judges have become convicted criminals & alleged Benefits cheats yet Lord Advocate wont name them. AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION by Diary of Injustice into cover ups within the Scottish Judiciary and a lack of a judicial register of interests has revealed a number of Scottish Judges who can earn up to £200K a year have been investigated & charged with, or have PLED GUILTY to a string of CRIMINAL CHARGES while at least one other judge has been charged with BENEFITS FRAUD. However, prosecutors are so worried for the positions of some of the judges who have handed down guilty verdicts on criminal cases brought before them in court, the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) HAS REFUSED to disclose the identities of any of the judges involved, for fear of sparking investigations into their conduct while in office and calls for a wider investigation into Scotland’s judiciary.

The information came to light after Diary of Injustice was handed details of cases where judges have either been interviewed, charged, or cautioned by Police with regards to their conduct outside of the courtroom. As part of the still ongoing investigations, Diary of Injustice approached the Crown Office using Freedom of Information laws to seek details of members of the judiciary who had been prosecuted for criminal offences in the past few years.

The Crown Office, who issued two lengthy responses to FOI requests but refused to name any of the judges involved, even the benefits cheat, admitted several judges had been charged with, & had pled guilty to criminal offences. In comparison, if a member of the public is charged or convicted of Benefits offences by a Scottish judge, the Crown Office are more than eager to share the information with the media, pictures of the accused or those found guilty and issue lengthy comments about how the system catches those who deserve. Apparently not though when it comes to catching a crooked judge.

Mr Anthony McGeechan, the Deputy Director of Serious Casework for the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service said in his letter : “I can advise that the database operated by COPFS does not contain data that would allow COPFS to identify cases where the accused was a member of the judiciary. COPFS uses a live,operational case management system which is specifically designed to receive criminal and death reports from the police and other specialist reporting agencies and to manage these cases for prosecution purposes.The information held on the system is structured for these operational needs, rather than for statistical reporting or research purposes.”

However, as I have identified, Procurators Fiscals report cases where an allegation is made against a member of the judiciary to Crown Office. A hard copy file dating from 2007 is held at Crown Office. The information held in that file is that that 7 members of the judiciary have been reported to COPFS for criminal offences between 2007 and the present day.

The courts have indicated that the most important safeguard in that regard is an absolute guarantee against publication. In particular, I consider that the details of charges contained within a report to the Procurator Fiscal from the police or other reporting agency are not necessarily a reflection of any charges which the Procurator Fiscal may bring or deem appropriate and to release these to the public could cause speculation over an allegation without it having been tested in open court. Having considered the circumstances of this particular case, I have come to the conclusion that the public interest falls overwhelmingly in maintaining the exemptions in this instance.

The released information disclosed the following criminal cases involving Scottish judges came in a further reply from the Director of Serious Casework for the Crown Office, David Harvie :

COPFS CRIMINAL CHARGES JUDGES SCOTLAND• 3 contraventions of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, section 89 – all pled guilty – sentences of £120 and 4 penalty points; £400 and 6 penalty points and £140 and 3 penalty points.

• 1 contravention of the Road Traffic Act 1988, section 143 with an alternative charge of a contravention of section 165 of that Act – pled guilty to the alternative charge – sentence of £100

• 1 contravention of the Road Traffic Act 1988, section 5(1)(a) – pled guilty – sentence of £650 and disqualification from driving for 2 years

• 1 contravention of the Road Traffic Act 1988, section 3 – pled guilty – sentence of £200 and 4 penalty points

• 1 contravention of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, section 111A(1)(a) – plea of not guilty has been entered and the case is presently ongoing

However, the Crown Office REFUSED to release any further information on the cases, citing fears the public may be able to speculate on the nature & seriousness of the allegations & criminal charges made against the judges who Scotland’s prosecutors are increasingly relying on to hand down verdicts in cases where the Crown Office fails to present accurate or substantive evidence against accused.

Mr McGeechan continued : “The courts have indicated that the most important safeguard in that regard is an absolute guarantee against publication. In particular, I consider that the details of charges contained within a report to the Procurator Fiscal from the police or other reporting agency are not necessarily a reflection of any charges which the Procurator Fiscal may bring or deem appropriate and to release these to the public could cause speculation over an allegation without it having been tested in open court. Having considered the circumstances of this particular case, I have come to the conclusion that the public interest falls overwhelmingly in maintaining the exemptions in this instance.”

Mr McGeechan also admitted in one of the cases where ANOTHER judge had been charged with committing a criminal offence, there was “insufficient evidence to justify criminal proceedings”, a term now familiar in Scotland where members of the justice system appear to have escaped criminal proceedings on multiple occasions after ‘Crown Counsel” gave their usual ‘independent instructions’ not to proceed like in the case of the FOURTEEN LAWYERS who were not prosecuted for millions of pounds worth of LEGAL AID FRAUD after Crown Counsel gave similar instructions claiming a lack of evidence to prosecute.

The Crown Office admitted : “The one case that was not prosecuted, having carefully considered the facts and circumstances of this case, Crown Counsel gave an independent instruction that there was insufficient admissible evidence to justify criminal proceedings.”

While the information disclosed by the Crown Office, which can be viewed online here : Crown Office : Criminal Charges against Scottish Judges does not contain any names of members of the judiciary, Diary of Injustice has been made aware of other cases of a criminal nature involving Scottish judges, now being looked into by journalists.

A solicitor speaking to Diary of Injustice yesterday said it was a very serious matter that members of the judiciary who have been convicted of or are charged with criminal offences, appear to be hiding behind exemptions to Freedom of Information legislation so the public don't get to find out their identities.

He said : “Clearly it is the public interest the identities of those serving on the bench who have criminal records be released. It is also of fundamental importance to the proper administration of justice that it be established what kinds of cases have been heard by these sheriffs or judges and how the cases concluded. There could well be some miscarriages of justice in all of this.”

The ongoing investigation by Diary of Injustice into members of Scotland’s judiciary has already revealed a series of judges appear to be involved in OFFSHORE TAX AVOIDANCE schemes, associations with convicted criminals & organised crime, prostitution rackets, accepting hospitality & payments from well known corrupt solicitors representing dodgy law firms while others on the bench are engaging in questionable investments & duties which appear to be in conflict with their positions as members of the judiciary. More on these findings can be read in an earlier article here : Offshore trusts, property holdings, insurance syndicates, hospitality from dodgy lawyers, yet no plans for a register of interests for Scottish judges

It has not yet been confirmed by the Lord President what sanctions or disciplinary action, if any has been taken against any of the judges who now hold criminal records like many brought before them in court.

All sheriffs appointed in Scotland by Scottish Ministers are recommended to the position by the Lord President, after being considered by the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, a Scottish Government quango stuffed full of High Court judges, sheriffs, lawyers & quangocrats who earn £290 per day for choosing judges to fill vacant seats on the bench.

As there is no Judicial Register of Interests in Scotland at this time, there are little if no requirements for judges to disclose their criminal records or dodgy financial interests. However, a public petition has been filed with the Scottish Parliament on this matter, now being addressed by other jurisdictions around the world such as New Zealand who are moving ahead with a Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill.

114 comments:

Anonymous said...

Criminals sitting in judgement on accused criminals..

Surely anyone convicted by these judges should ask for a retrial?

Anonymous said...

Good one.

You don't think this could be one of the reasons why they stuffed Agnew into Dunion's job?

She's probably got orders to stop you asking these kinds of questions.

Anonymous said...

The letter from the Crown Office is a nonsense - the public are fully entitled to see all the information on these judges not least because we pay their salaries and since they sit in judgement on the rest of us.

Disgusting.Crown Office are no better.

Anonymous said...

Looks like you are determined to take on the judiciary too and I like your idea about the register of interests.Very good Peter.Its a pity your not in the parliament and could stand up and say all this because none of the msps are any good on these kinds of issues.

Anonymous said...

No different than our crooked MSP's Taking of which I done a FOI on Christine Graham for conformation that the Holyrood salon have to put her head in a vice in order to give her a trim. Shake on bye now.

Anonymous said...

BENEFITS CHEAT JUDGE what a fugging disgrace and they try to cover it up as usual

Anonymous said...

Quite a headline there Peter I hope the crooked judges dont get their shotguns out this weekend

Anonymous said...

Who would have thought Scotland is getting hammered by New Zealand in sorting out the crooked judges!

Anonymous said...

If one of the drink driving sheriffs finds another driver guilty of doing same what can be done about it?

Appeal??

Also if they have a drink driving conviction or disqualification then why not declare it and walk way from the case in front of them?

Can cases like these be appealed?

Anonymous said...

Crown Office have plenty to hide themselves with all the lawyers they let off for stealing the legal aid.Things never seem to change do they its always rotten to the core in the justice system.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like we need a register of judges from hell too how about getting one up so we know which sheriffs are crooked?

Anonymous said...

How does someone who gets 200 grand a year manage to claim benefits ?????

Jesus Christ these people should be locked away forever with all the lectures they give everyone else about being a benefits cheat.

Anonymous said...

How far does all this dirt go up the line ?
Is it just the Sheriffs or also Court of Session judges?

Anonymous said...

How the establishment protect their own by hiding the names of its criminal members.

If any of these drivers or the benefits fraudster were ordinary members of the public their names faces addresses the lot would be all over the press and howling crowds baying for a lynching.

So.What is so special about a judge being a criminal they have to hide their names from us?

Its all rotten and its disgusting they can get away with hiding this from Freedom of Information.

Well done for outing it all!

Anonymous said...

adds new meaning to "as sober as a judge"

they are all crooks arent they we always thought it now we know it

Anonymous said...

Scottish justice must be really ****ed up if these judges are still working

Anonymous said...

And once again this important news is met by a stony silence from our 'independent' broadcasting corporations and newspapers.

Anonymous said...

This is actually quite corrupt and affects all of us not just those people having problems with their lawyers.

So what is going to be done about these crooked judges and how many are there apart from the ones they have told you about?

I think there are lots more and they dont want to reveal it

Anonymous said...

Criminals just like the rest of the legal system and we are constantly told by our rat bastard politicians we are supposed to respect the justice system etc etc

No respect deserved they are all crooks especially the ones who cover it all up

Anonymous said...

Agree with first comment,anyone who has been convicted by these criminals should immediately appeal or have a retrial

NAMES ASAP

Anonymous said...

On the subject of alcohol we had a law lecturer who we were told would have been a high flier, a lawyer who was an alcoholic. We could smell the booze off him. We were taking construction degrees and the alcoholic lawyer told us all about contract, agency and our duty of care in Delict. When I read your blog Peter I am glad he was an alcoholic, better teaching us than ruining clients. He told us all what someone would need to prove to obtain damages for personal injury. He failed to tell us the Law Societies insurers would have been paying the damages.

Anonymous said...

I suspect this story is going to get a lot worse before we eventually find out who the crooked judges are..

Anonymous said...

Thank God for this blog is all I can say - there is no-one else telling the truth and exposing the lies of those in power here.

Anonymous said...

I'd suggest a full independent investigation into this except they will appoint a judge to carry it out so there's no such thing as an independent investigation EVER

Anonymous said...

There is a highly accurate statement within this posting which may prove more worrying than the disclosure of the criminal convictions.I think you know the one I mean.

"on the nature & seriousness of the allegations & criminal charges made against the judges who Scotland’s prosecutors are increasingly relying on to hand down verdicts in cases where the Crown Office fails to present accurate or substantive evidence against accused"

A very worrying situation for Scotland's justice system where the prosecution appear to be selecting the judges they feel will suit their ends in trials which should never come to pass.

Diary of Injustice said...

3 February 2012 21:50

All the way to the Court of Session.

5 February 2012 21:13

Its been going on for some time ... more will be released soon as the investigation continues.

Anonymous said...

Well this is not much of a surprise to me really because after all these people have been lawyers all their lives and therefore are used to getting away with everything under the sun from ripping off their clients to committing criminal acts.

Just because they are elevated to the bench does not mean any of these nasty habits will stop and its worth bearing in mind these are only the ones the Crown Office could be bothered to disclose to you.

I know for a fact there is one case where a judge had to retire because he fabricated evidence to take him out of the picture in a murder investigation. Shouldn't he have been charged instead like anyone else would have been or were the Crown too worried doing so would render a lot of his earlier judgements unstable.

Anonymous said...

When did WE the Scottish Public decide that the standard of Scottish Sheriffs and Judges had to be lowered to maintain the salary of convicted criminals?

It is a pre-requisite of a Sheriff or Judge, to have and maintain a standard and character above reproach.

If this standard of conduct is not found to be the case, then those who have allowed this diminution of standards are guilty of bringing the Law and Justice in Scotland into disrepute.

It must be unlawful for a convicted criminal to be allowed to continue to pronounce judgement upon others, as the Sheriff/ Judge's own judgment cannot be relied upon.

They have shown by their actions that they are criminals.

Therefore, every one of those with a conviction has a duty to declare themselves no longer a fit and proper person to continue in this role, as it is perversion of the course of Justice and is defrauding the tax-payer by continuing to claim a salary under false pretences.

What is more, whoever allowed this situation to happen and whoever resists this information's release to the Scottish Public is willfully neglecting their duty in Public Office (a common law crime).

On this article, the Police should already have moved into the Crown Office to remove this file and their computers as a matter of urgency!

It is then an inevitable consequence that all of the cases presided over by these Sheriff's/Judges are accordingly unsafe in Law and will need to be annulled and compensation will be required as a remedy.

Those responsible for bringing this cost upon the Public Purse i.e the Sheriff's/Judges and Crown Office staff should be sued for the whole amount or jailed.

Simples....

Anonymous said...

This single issue is a game-changer.

Proof that the Sheriffs, Judges and Crown Office Lawyers are all nothing more than a criminal gang.

And to have the gall to say that it is not in the Public Interest for the Scottish Public to be told about this is in itself a criminal act.

If this is what the Crown Office are prepared to tell us under FOI, then how much worse is this problem really?

How many Judges/Sheriffs are criminals but have not been prosecuted by the Crown Office?

Anonymous said...

3 February 2012 21:50

All the way to the Court of Session.

As I suspected.

I imagine the phone lines between the Courts & Crown Office have been going red today about these fois.

Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Yes a register for the judges is a good idea anyway who are they to say they dont need one?

This is 2012 not 1012 and from what I'm reading here judges cannot be trusted to do the right thing.

Anonymous said...

Here we have a powerful faction many of whome are not fit to hold the positions they currently hold. I read Peter's blog all of the time and nothing he writes about this profession shocks me now. I think they are all corrupt. They demand respect in the courts, when they are a lot of corrupt reprobates who should be in jail.

Anonymous said...

Are there any newspapers with guts out there? It is time the press reported on these scoundrels.

Good man Peter for letting us know although it is what we expect.

Anonymous said...

Back to the Law Society Master Policy which allows solicitors to sleep at night. Well Solicitors from Hell, Solicitors from Hell 2, Rick, Peter, and Cowboy Solicitors, will be watching all of you.

Go on shut more sites Hudson, you have no chance.

The web sites have right on their side.

Anonymous said...

Desmond Hudson of the Law Society of England and Wales believes web sites are a danger to the public. No Desmond, that is what you would like us to believe but the reality that reviles you is greatest threat to the public are the Law Societies of the United Kingdon, dens of evil. Which political theorist warned of the tyranny of the minority in politics? I think is was Mosca? This tyrannic danger is there in the Law Societies who torture innocent British families for profit and saving lawyers reputations.

The revulsion you feel towards campainers Hudson is reciprocated. If you employed a builder and they ruined your house you would get one of your law firms to sue for damages. Oh yes Hudson you would get legal representation. But you do not want a member of the public to be able to sue a lawyer. They do not get legal representation, therefore no balance of power exists.

You therefore reject the principle of universality, it is right for you to get damages but not right for us. How can you have any credibility you immature fool. Only clients can regulate lawyers, and you cannot reject this principle if you want to adopt the principle of universality.

The Law Societies of the United Kingdom are Solicitors From Hell. Why because they police themselves so corruption and criminality are the result.

Anonymous said...

There will be alot more debate and discussion soon exploring reasons why the Law Society and many of its members see fit to use their legal might to close down legitimate review sites. There are numerous websites which mention cowboy builders and tradesman and mis-selling practices. There are programmes like BBC Watchdog and rip off Britain which expose wrongdoing. If we allowed the people listed and featured on those websites and programmes to sue for 'harassment' (like the Law Society did )all hell would break loose.

The remedy in law if a publication is untrue is to ask for removal of the offending article and in extreme circumstances sue for libel. It is excessive to close down websites in this manner and Mr Hudson has ensured that rather than disabling debate and criticism, it is about to step up to a new level. Watch out in the press soon for some stuff related to this.

Anonymous said...

The Law Societies, Solicitor Regulatory Authority, Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, are only three bureaucracies where lawyers have the luxury of being invisible to the public, who's assets they deal with every day.

It is little wonder that the profession is rotten to the core. Self regulation is invisible regulation which manifests itself in criminality. The rise of anti lawyer websites are the result of a system which leaves people ruined and rightless. Clearly Tugendhat wants it to stay this way. Mr Lockhart from Kilmarnock still allowed to work by the Law society proves web sites are paramount to help protect people in society.

Anonymous said...

Oh well there's no doubt about it then we need a register of interests to stop these judges hiding their criminal records and other things.

The New Zealand ideas are very good I hope its taken on in Scotland much the same.

Anonymous said...

Yes this is a good story now make sure you get all that lovely information out to these people who have been convicted by these judges who have their own criminal records and all the other things you found out so everyone can take on these judges and all the corrupt verdicts they have reached on behalf of the Lord Advocates

Anonymous said...

I am a little curious as to why the Crown Office did not disclose to you a sheriff was involved in an insurance fraud amounting to well over £100,000.

The Insurance Company were none too happy as I recall.

Has that one been wiped from the books,Frank?

megao said...

If the judges in Scotland are bad I wonder what they are like in England & Wales?

Lets get foi'ing to find out about these creeps who silence criticism against their crooked lawyer buddies..

Anonymous said...

Plenty of the following in Scotland its just we dont get to hear about it because the Crown Office goes around with kitchen wipes to clean up after the mess and the judge carries on working


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/7885460/Senior-judge-who-had-fling-with-male-prostitute-resigns.html

Senior judge who had fling with male prostitute resigns

Judge Gerald Price QC, 61, was suspended last summer when an official investigation was launched into his conduct.

Christopher Williams, 26, the male prostitute, claimed that he was allowed to sit on the bench during trials and was even present during sentencing.

The investigation recommended the judge should be sacked as a result of his conduct but he resigned after a failed appeal, before he could be dismissed.

The investigation was launched after disclosures in the News of the World in June last year claiming he had a nine month affair with Williams, a £250-a-night rent boy.

Mr Price, who is married, sat as a senior circuit judge in Swansea, Cardiff and Carmarthen, south Wales.

Williams was widely reported claiming that Mr Price had set him up in a flat and paid him an allowance.

Mr Price is believed to have made initial contact with Mr Williams through an escort website in September 2008.

Mr Williams claimed at the time that he initially met Mr Price in a hotel and later at his second home near Carmarthen, west Wales.

News of his resignation came in the form of a statement issued by the Office for Judicial Complaints.

''Gerald Price QC, a Circuit Judge who was appointed to the Wales Circuit in 2000, has resigned from judicial office following an investigation into allegations about his conduct originally published in the media in June 2009,'' a spokesman for the Office for Judicial Complaints said.

''Whilst the media reported a number of allegations against Judge Price, the judicial investigation only focused on those that had an impact on his role as a judge.

''The investigation found that his actions brought the judiciary into disrepute, rendering his position untenable.

''In the light of the investigation, the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice informed the judge in December 2009 that they considered his behaviour merited removal from office.

"In accordance with the judicial discipline regulations, Judge Price was entitled to ask for their decision to be reviewed by a Review Body panel.

''He did so and the panel was chaired by Lady Justice Smith. The panel agreed with the original decision of the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor and recommended that Judge Price should be removed from office.

''The judge has, however, resigned before the disciplinary process was formally concluded. His resignation took effect from 30 June 2010.''

The former judge has been an Anglican lay preacher since 1969. He has previously refused to comment but had denied some claims, saying they were an invasion of his privacy.

Anonymous said...

Look at this what a rotten character this was AND WAS ALLOWED TO RETIRE INSTEAD OF BEING CHARGED

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/11/23/sheriff-accused-of-taking-part-in-spanking-and-whipping-session-at-sauna-quits-78057-20916993/

Sheriff accused of taking part in spanking and whipping session at sauna quits

Nov 23 2008 By Derek Alexander, Sunday Mail

A SHERIFF has sensationally quit after being accused of paying for spanking and whipping sessions with hookers.

Andrew Lothian stood down after admitting he visited a sleazy sauna.

His shock exit came after a prostitute told the Sunday Mail she was regularly paid s50 to whip him at Carol's in Edinburgh.

She claimed Lothian visited as recently as Wednesday, when he paid s180 for a threesome with her and another girl. Claims about the 66-year-old sheriff first emerged as police investigated the alleged blackmail of a Halifax Bank of Scotland worker.

Two brothers charged with the crimes told officers they had video evidence of the sheriff with the hooker - who has been charged with the same blackmail plot.

It is unclear when Lothian, who earned s125,000 a year, was first challenged about his vice sessions at the sauna in Easter Road, Leith.

But on Friday he was confronted by bosses at a meeting and agreed to quit immediately.

The Crown Office said: "Following allegations that were made on Friday about his private life Sheriff Andrew Lothian made the decision to retire with immediate effect."

The official website of Carol's Sauna describes it as "Edinburgh's best kept secret" and boasts it is run by a "charming local couple".

It adds: "The ladies here at Carol's are a delightful selection and are predominantly Scottish.

"Furthermore, each is keen to show their customers how much they appreciate their custom and will always give cl ients a fantastic welcome!"

Pictures show a series of dingy bedrooms with mirrored walls.

Owner Tom Punton last night said: "I don't want to comment."

The hooker at the centre of the storm, a 30-year-old single mum from nearby Musselburgh, said: "The sheriff liked being whipped more than anything.

"He paid s20 to get into Carol's and he would pay me s50 .

"I first met him two years ago after I started working there.

"The other girls all knew him and they told me he was a sheriff.

"It became a bit of a joke that we would need to get the whip out every time we saw him coming in.

"He sometimes picked me, but he also chose other girls working on the same shift in the sauna.

"I used to ask him if he was on his lunch hour but he was cagey about what he did for a living.

"He didn't realise it was well known among all the girls there.

"One of them had seen him wearing his wig in court but we are told to be discreet and not to ask punters questions they don't want to answer.

"He was actually in on Wednesday.

"He paid s180 for me and another girl.

"He wanted us to put on a show for him then he joined in.

"I know the police were made aware of what he's been up to when they were investigating me and two other men for something else.

"I know the men told the police they had a video of him with other prostitutes but I have never been spoken to by police about the sheriff."

Sauna customers are rarely prosecuted but owners can be convicted of living off immoral earnings.

If he had remained on the bench, Lothian could have faced claims he risked a conflict of interest and left himself open to blackmail.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders police refused to comment.

Anonymous said...

and the rest of the Sunday Mail story



Sheriffs usually carry on until they are 70, which means Lothian is leaving his job four years early.

Two days after his visit to Carol's he spent his last day in Edinburgh Sheriff Court dealing with drink-driving, assault and fraud cases. He took over from Sheriff Alastair Noble in court five at around 10.30am and handled several cases.

One involved a elderly man who pleaded guilty to obtaining s8000 in benefits to which he was not entitled.

Others included a young woman who admitted punching a girl at a party and a man who admitted being drunk and driving his girlfriend's car without having a licence or insurance.

Lothian was accused in the mid-90s of beating his estranged first wife Harriet in the family home.

In 1999 Harriet went public after she became angry at the Crown Office's refusal to prosecute.

In 200 1it emerged that Lothian used one of his own courts to try to have Harriet evicted from her home in the Borders.

She claimed it was unfair his s100,000 civil action seeking the sale of the house was heard by a colleague of Lothian at Selkirk Sheriff Court, where he sometimes presided.

Lothian was also once investigated by the Inland Revenue.

It was claimed he failed to declare valuable paintings and antiques in order to avoid paying inheritance tax.

The two brothers in the alleged blackmail plot are on remand awaiting trial after making a first appearance at Haddington Sheriff Court.

THE SAUNA

Bosses boast of discretion

SHERIFF Lothian's sauna of choice is one of 20 sex-for-sale parlours across Edinburgh and Leith.

The blue canopies at Carol's mark it out from a row of tenements a corner kick away from Hibernian's Easter Road stadium.

The website lists nine women, aged 21-35, with descriptions and vital statistics. They include Scots, a German and an Asian woman.

It adds: "The emphasis is on both your relaxation and discretion - all our masseuses have their own special techniques.

"Carol's boasts four luxurious massage rooms, all of which are fully mirrored.

"Each cabin also has a television which shows an interesting range of videos."

A customer review posted on the site says: "Carol's is an intimate little sauna on the quiet end of Easter Road, run by a friendly couple in their mid-30s.

The decor has a cosy, IKEA-like quality...surprisingly welcoming."

Although it's an open secret that so-called saunas sell sex, they are licensed by councils in Scotland's major cities.

IS IT LEGAL?

Lawman paid hooker for sex

SHAMED Lothian is not the first member of the judiciary caught in a sex scandal. Sheriff Hugh Neilson, 56, was suspended after he was found wearing just a towel when police raided The Royale Club in Glasgow in 2004.

The married church elder gave the bizarre excuse he was only at the brothel for a shave. But the Sunday Mail revealed he had paid for sex in the past - and he confessed to visiting saunas on four separate occasions.

When quizzed, Neilson, below, told how one girl had rubbed her breasts up and down him and said: "I had sexual intercourse with her. I paid for it."

He resigned from his s119,000-a-year post at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

Later Perth advocate Alan Muir said he too had visited saunas.

He said he had done nothing wrong in taking part in an "upfront commercial transaction between two consenting adults".

Anonymous said...

BBC version of Sheriff Lothian story is a JOKE

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7744522.stm

Sheriff retires over private life

A sheriff has stepped down after allegations were made about his personal life, it has been confirmed.

Andrew Lothian, 66, who was based at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, took the decision to retire on Friday.

The allegations about him were printed in a Sunday newspaper. Sheriff Lothian's departure was confirmed by the Scottish Court Service.

Sheriffs normally retire at the age of 70, meaning Sheriff Lothian has gone four years early.

He will not hear any more cases on the capital's bench.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Court Service said: "I can confirm that Andrew Lothian decided to retire with immediate effect following allegations about his private life."

The sheriff has presided over a number of high profile cases in the capital.

Earlier this year he jailed an ambulance worker who pointed his camera phone at a woman patient's private parts as she lay half-naked in the back of his ambulance.

He also ruled last year that the NHS 24 system for dealing with calls was to blame for the delay in emergency treatment given to toddler Kyle Brown who died from meningitis in April 2006.

Anonymous said...

and in the Sun too and allowed to fade away without any charges or even an investigation proving the Crown Office and the judiciary are UTTERLY CORRUPT

http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/1962433/He-made-us-suffer-now-its-his-turn.html

He made us suffer.. now it's his turn

MARCELLO MEGA and BRIAN LEWIS

THE shamed sheriff who quit in a sex-for-sale sauna scandal was last night slammed by his sickened ex-wife.

Harriet McEwan told of her delight that Andrew Lothian has been forced to quit — and claimed he made her family's life hell during their bitter marriage split.

She said: "We suffered greatly at the hands of this man."

Lothian, 66 — who has been married four times — left his £125,000-a-year post after bosses confronted him over his visits to the sleazy joint.

But Harriet, 57, revealed she wasn't surprised her former hubby had resigned after being caught up in vice claims.

Last night, she said: "I am greatly relieved he has resigned. My only surprise is that it has taken so long for his activities to be exposed.

"I tried repeatedly to alert the Crown and police to his unsuitability for his office as sheriff because of his behaviour, but to no avail — and to me and my children's great detriment.

"We suffered greatly at this man's hands, both during my marriage to him and for many years after I divorced him."

Lothian's visits to Carol's Sauna, in the Leith area of Edinburgh, were exposed during a blackmail probe.

Two brothers had been charged with allegedly targeting an HBOS worker when they told cops they had video footage which proved the sheriff had been there.

Lothian was one of Scotland's top lawmen, serving on the Glasgow bench from 1979 to 1992, before moving to the capital.

His retirement comes four years earlier than the usual age of 70 — but he's expected to keep his £7,000-a-month pension.

Lothian is well known for his tangled love life and is believed to be separated from his fourth spouse Eleanor.

She wasn't available for comment, but neighbours at their three-bedroom townhouse said they hadn't seen the sheriff for some time. One said: "He disappeared about a year ago.

"When I heard a sheriff had to retire for attending a sauna, I suspected it would be him. He was always a bit odd."

The sauna ... the Edinburgh parlour that Lothian visited
The sauna ... the Edinburgh parlour that Lothian visited

Edinburgh was the first city in the UK to effectively decriminalise brothels when it granted saunas and massage parlours entertainment licences in 1982.

The website for Carols' Sauna — close to Hibs' Easter Road football stadium — lists nine women, aged 21-35, with bra sizes and other vital statistics.

It says on its services page: "The emphasis is on both your relaxation, and discretion. All our masseuses have special techniques for your pleasure."

Lothian and Harriett split in 1996. He was at the centre of a police probe after Harriet claimed he attacked her on Christmas Eve that year.

Her sons James and Robert backed-up her claims, but the Crown refused to prosecute.

In 2001, it emerged Lothian tried to have Harriet — who was battling hepatitis C at the time — and their two boys kicked out of their £100,000 Borders home. He was also investigated by the taxman after his mother Catriona died in the late 1990s, leaving her estate — valued at about £330,000 — to the sheriff and his brother Murdoch.

The Inland Revenue probed allegations the house was cleared of its most valuable items before a visit from an assessor. But no irregularities were found.

Lothian was unavailable last night. A Scottish Court Service spokesman said: "He retired with immediate effect following allegations about his private life."

Anonymous said...

I would like to get a message to the person who writes this blog

There is a rumour a lawyer from Glasgow has recruited someone to injure or kill Mr Peter Cherbi

Please be alert to this threat because there will be no Police action to prevent it

Diary of Injustice said...

7 February 2012 21:00

More details please to scottishlawreporters@gmail.com

7 February 2012 21:58

Good idea and there are more judges in England & Wales.

7 February 2012 22:56

Thanks, will file it with the rest.If you have any more info on this you'd like to share please send to scottishlawreporters@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Eh you sound used to death threats ??

Watch yourself coz this blog is kinda hard on against the judges wouldn't be surprised if the cops stood by and watched it happen

Anonymous said...

And here I was thinking it is Syria where all this is supposed to take place.
Learn the lesson next time have elected judges and don't let your lawyer fraternity run the fucking country although come to think of it they are all over the shop.

Anonymous said...

A Sheriff in Scotland is a judge?

Pretty weird!

Anyway the Lothian guy was mixing with organised crime. Prostitutes are run by pimps who in turn are part of rackets or gangs.Need I say more?

Anonymous said...

"There is a rumour a lawyer from Glasgow has recruited someone to injure or kill Mr Peter Cherbi"

Not surprised.

A lot of the legal aid robbers are located there and Peter has told the world how the lawyers did it and how they got away with it.

Anonymous said...

Willing to bet there are 20 or more of these judges with secret convictions or things we dont know about and then there's all the ones who will have used their position to get out of charges or investigations just like in the newspaper coverage in the comments earlier

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
I would like to get a message to the person who writes this blog

There is a rumour a lawyer from Glasgow has recruited someone to injure or kill Mr Peter Cherbi

Please be alert to this threat because there will be no Police action to prevent it

7 February 2012 22:56

It would not surprise me if the would be killer turns out to be a Policeman you see them hanging around a certain few lawyers in the courts and these cops end up with the fanciest houses on the go even if they are just some no rank pc odd isnt it how a pc gets a 4 bedroom hoose for 57K from a lawyer well known to give brown envelopes to a judge in Glasgow

Anonymous said...

Apart from being totally unfit to continue as a Sheriff or Judge, this unlawful conduct leaves the Judiciary open to blackmail, once it is known that they are criminals but remain in their job.

Or indeed, it leaves them open to cooercion and undue influence by advocates and others, meaning that all of the cases they have presided over, whilst a criminal, HAVE to be unsafe, as there is a very real doubt as to the Judiciaries ability to act impartially and independently.

If there are say a dozen of these criminals in post, then how long have they been allowed to be criminals and Sheriff/Judge and how many cases have they presided over?

We could be looking at well over a thousand cases, which will need to be anulled, as the Decisions made can in no way be considered to be Safe?

Anonymous said...

It is clear that Scottish Lawyers, Scottish Prosecuters and now Scottish Judiciary have been operating 'above the law'.

The law of the land does not apply to them and the act in a manner that they themselves see fit and they make the law up as they go along.

The system has crashed.

The cat is well and truly out of the bag.

The whole system is a rotten pit of stinking bile, just the way these criminals want it.

Anonymous said...

Where are the Police in all of this?

Are they Police men & women, who are there to protect the Scottish Public?

OR

Are they Police Officers, indoctrinated into believing that they are there to follow the strict orders of their superiors (controllers), where they blindly follow the directions of the state and from individuals in power, who have them doing their bidding regardless of the law?


If it was the former, would the Police men & women not be investigating the Law Society of Scotland, The Crown Office and the Judiciary for these persons acting above the law?

According to some of these brothels, if the Police were to raid them at any given period in the 24 hour day, then at least one member of the above would be caught (and then let off scot free)

Anonymous said...

If they do murder Peter it wont be the first time a lawyer has murdered someone and been patted on the back by some bastard judge for it

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PORSCHE+FURY%3B+Storm+as+lawyer+freed+after+crash+kills+3.-a0114045779

PORSCHE FURY; Storm as lawyer freed after crash kills 3.
Date: Mar 9, 2004
Words: 573
Publication: Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland)
ISSN: 0956-8069


Byline: By Lori Campbell

A PORSCHE-DRIVING lawyer who caused a triple-death crash was yesterday branded a murderer by relatives of the victims as she escaped a jail term.

Three members of one family were killed when government solicitor Ruth Inglis hit their people-carrier in her Porsche 944 convertible.

Inglis swerved across the road as she bent down to pick up her baby son's dummy.

But, to the horror of the crash victims' family, Sheriff George Presslie decided she was guilty only of a 'momentary lapse of concentration'.

Inglis, 33, was fined pounds 2000 and banned from driving for two years. As she left court, relatives of the dead shouted: 'Murderer. Murderer.'

The Scottish Executive solicitor had faced a possible jail term for causing death by dangerous driving.

But the charge was dropped at Haddington Sheriff Court and she admitted the lesser offence of driving without due care and attention.

James Whales, who lost his mum, dad and uncle in the crash, spoke of his 'shock and disgust' at the decision.

He said: 'This woman wiped out almost a whole family. I was disgusted to see her walk out of court. I feel sick to my stomach.'

Inglis was on the A1 near Dunbar, East Lothian, in September 2002 when her six week-old son dropped his dummy.

She says she turned the steering wheel by accident as she tried to pick it up.

The Porsche veered across the road and hit the Whales family's Nissan people carrier, which flipped over and hit a Ford Sierra travelling behind it.

Agnes and Albert Whales, 63, and Albert's brother Joseph, 62, were killed instantly.

The couple's mentally handicapped son Joseph, 34, and Kevin Armstrong, who was driving the Nissan, escaped with minor injuries.

James, a bus driver, said: 'Joseph doesn't really understand what happened and keeps asking where mum and dad are.

'My parents were taking him to a caravan park for a family holiday. He relied on them.

'As well as Joseph, my parents have left six young grandchildren behind.'

James, 38, claimed Inglis had not shown remorse. He said: 'I want her to feel sorry for what she has done but she has not shown us any emotion. I don't feel she is being properly punished.

'We have been left to try to pick up the pieces but she is able to just walk away.'

Inglis's lawyer, Govan MSP Gordon Jackson QC, told the court she had been punished by having the threat of prison hanging over her.

Sheriff Presslie noted that Inglis, a senior solicitor for the Executive, had no previous convictions for dangerous driving. He told her she suffered 'a momentary lapse of concentration', which led to 'grave misfortune'.

But he said: 'In more fortunate circumstances your actions may not have had any consequences.'

The sheriff added: 'Prior to the accident, you had not been driving dangerously. I understand it is a narrow road for its use and is being remedied by the introduction of a dual carriageway.

'I am satisfied that in your life you have conducted yourself usefully through a recognised profession.'

Inglis, of Dunbar, ran from court through the back door and was driven away in her husband's BMW.

CAPTION(S):

SCENE: The people-carrier lies on its side after flipping over and hitting a Ford Sierra. Inglis's Porsche, inset, suffered relatively minor damage; ABOVE: Inglis; leaves court; VICTIMS: Joseph with brother Albert and wife Agnes. Right, the couple's son Joseph

Anonymous said...

I bet they wont say the same about the Benefits cheating judge in your foi! http://www.copfs.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/02/£11800-Confiscated-Benefits-Fraudster

£11,800 CONFISCATED FROM BENEFITS FRAUDSTER

At Banff Sheriff Court today, a Confiscation Order for £11,800 was made against Kate Smeaton (DOB 21-09-1971).

Smeaton, from Winchester, had previously pled guilty to wrongly claiming income support benefit totalling £12,000. She had pretended to be living alone as an unemployed single parent when she was in fact living with her husband, who was employed full-time. She was sentenced to 240 hours community service.

Lindsey Miller, Head of the Serious and Organised Crime Division (SOCD) and the current POCA champion, said:

"If you choose to steal from the public purse by committing benefit fraud you will be pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act for any money you made in this way.

"We will continue to use the law to catch up with benefit fraudsters, and this should not be viewed as an easy way for criminals to make money.

"The Proceeds of Crime Act is being used every day to recover money from all kinds of criminals for its re-investment in good causes. More than £44million has been invested this way already.

"Our message is clear; we are using, and will continue to use, the powers we have available to us to target anyone else chooses to fund their lifestyle through crime."

Ends

Notes for Editors (HAHA)

1. At Banff Sheriff Court on 31 October 2011, Kate Smeaton pled guilty to Section 111A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. She had claimed income support as an unemployed single parent, when she was in fact living with her husband Craig Smeaton, who was in full time employment. She pled guilty to benefit fraud of £12,000. The offences took place between 11 July 2006 and 06 November 2009.

2. A Confiscation Order is an order made by the court following criminal conviction, to pay a fixed sum of money from the proceeds of crime. An application for confiscation is one of the tools at the disposal of the Crown under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Proceeds of Crime (Scotland) Act 1995.

3. The Serious and Organised Crime Division works together with colleagues at the Civil Recovery Unit, and other law enforcement agencies, such as the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency, UK Police Forces, HM Revenue and Customs and Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) to identify and recover the proceeds of crime.

4. Proceeds of Crime legislation is also used by the Civil Recovery Unit acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The Civil Recovery Unit investigates and recovers the property realised through criminal activity of individuals, in the civil courts without the need for criminal conviction.

5. Since 2003, the use of the Proceeds of Crime Act in Scotland has allowed over ?60million to be recovered from criminals. Money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act is invested by Scottish Ministers. Over £44m of these proceeds have been put to excellent use by investing in a wide range of sporting, cultural, educational and mentoring activities for children and young people through the CashBack for Communities programme. Since the programme's inception in 2007, over 600,000 young people across Scotland have benefited. Details can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cashback

6. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is a committed member of the Scottish Government's Serious Organised Crime Task Force. The Task Force has a remit to pursue serious organised crime in all its forms by bringing together all agencies involved in tackling organised crime groups. Task Force members include the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, the Lord Advocate, representatives from COPFS, the Scottish Government, ACPOS, SCDEA, HMRC, SOCA and SPS. Details of the work of the Taskforce can be accessed here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/crimes/organised-crime.

Communications
0844 561 3984

Anonymous said...

So lawyers DO get away with murder in Scotland - its referred to as a momentary lapse of their glowing legal careers.

FUCK!

Anonymous said...

Very good.They should all be subject to those press releases about how corrupt the judges are how they should have set an example first by not drinking and driving how they should not break the law because they are judges and how they should not cheat the benefits or the taxman or use prostitutes and criminals for their pleasures because we are having to pay for it all.

Anonymous said...

I 100% support your idea for a register of interests for these judges Peter its a brilliant move worthy of all the work you've put in over the years.We must all support it.

Anonymous said...

LOL@ the Crown Office Press statement on the benefits cheat.

Its in their interest to talk that one up but its not in their interest to talk about how they go rigging cases in their favour by selecting bent judges to give them the verdict they want..

Time to dump this Crown Orifice and start again methinks!

Anonymous said...

The sheriff added:'I am satisfied that in your life you have conducted yourself usefully through a recognised profession.'

Well that really is a disgusting thing to say after this lawyer killed those people.

What a disgusting sleazy episode really evil

Anonymous said...

Dont forget the the fraudulent antics of the crooked clerks who also pervert the course of justice for their own interests. The grapevine also tells me of a big one coming off soon where nearly the entire court staff have been caught in the net of perversion.

Anonymous said...

I hope thousands of cases end up collapsing because of this and it jams up the entire justice system well deservedly because these criminals on the bench hid their own criminal convictions while they were busy giving us lectures on how to obey the law

Anonymous said...

Regarding the death threat against Mr Cherbi from the lawyer is this got something to do with the SLCC or legal aid?

Anonymous said...

I remember the Inglis case and the deaths,shocking and the sheriff's remarks didnt go down well a t the time.There's a lot more to it you need to know and its worth revisiting.Expect an email.

Diary of Injustice said...

8 February 2012 22:00

Seems its to do with the legal aid investigations.

Its in hand, and remember, not all Police are crooked just like not all lawyers are crooked .. Diary of Injustice has a good relationship with several law firms, solicitors and even the occasional member of the judiciary.

8 February 2012 22:49

Thanks, got it.

8 February 2012 12:48

Thanks for posting this release.COPFS must have been short of a headline for the day.

Anonymous said...

Its in hand, and remember, not all Police are crooked just like not all lawyers are crooked .. Diary of Injustice has a good relationship with several law firms, solicitors and even the occasional member of the judiciary.
================================
Yes Peter I agree it is the bad ones that give the rest a bad name.

Anonymous said...

Just remember to keep sharing all the tips & info you get!

Anonymous said...

Memo to Lord Hamilton:

Any judge with a criminal record should be forced to resign - if any of them have been left in the job after these cases the whole judiciary is rotten and corrupt.You simply cant claim the judiciary to be upholding the law when they are themselves found guilty by it.

Anonymous said...

Is it any wonder the woman lawyer who killed the people in the car got away with it when we have characters like these in the judiciary?

Shocking really

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

The letter from the Crown Office is a nonsense - the public are fully entitled to see all the information on these judges not least because we pay their salaries and since they sit in judgement on the rest of us.

Disgusting.Crown Office are no better.

3 February 2012 16:05

Agreed!

Anonymous said...

I got a text about claiming for damages if I was injured on a no win no fee basis.

I text back, "I do not trust lawyers", I mean how can we distinguish the good from the bad with all of the web sites warning the public. I am glad you are warning us Peter.

Anonymous said...

Its well known there are a few sheriffs on the take have been for a long time in Glasgow.Get digging!

Anonymous said...

You will have to be careful on this one surely

If the Crown Office think you can topple some of their fiddled verdicts then they will try and set you up just as much as the corrupt judges who are bought off all the time.

Watch your back!

Anonymous said...

The Scottish Executive solicitor had faced a possible jail term for causing death by dangerous driving.

But the charge was dropped at Haddington Sheriff Court and she admitted the lesser offence of driving without due care and attention.

(Plea bargaining in Scotland in an OFFENCE - The only reason this murderer was let off Scot-Free is that she is a Scottish Lawyer)

But, to the horror of the crash victims' family, Sheriff George Presslie decided she was guilty only of a 'momentary lapse of concentration'.

(This comment is designed to humiliate the family)


'I am satisfied that in your life you have conducted yourself usefully through a recognised profession.'

(My understanding is that other papers reported that it was because as a Scottish lawyer her conduct was above reproach!)

Inglis, of Dunbar, ran from court through the back door and was driven away in her husband's BMW.

(Why was she allowed anonymity/preferential treatment? Did her Scottish lawyer husband work for the Crown Office?)


8 February 2012 12:19

I remember the Inglis case and the deaths,shocking and the sheriff's remarks didnt go down well a t the time.There's a lot more to it you need to know and its worth revisiting.Expect an email.

8 February 2012 22:49

(If this murderer was sent to prison, like any other member of society would have been, then she would have lost her high paying salary as an employee with the Scottish Executive, plus perks and pension etc. So the Scottish Tax Payer is funding this murderers lifesyle, which has allowed to remain unchanged, despite 3 bodies being buried in the ground!)

Anonymous said...

Were you aware that the Crown Office has got a special department to 'deal with' complaints against Scottish Judges and Sheriffs, headed up by the notorious David Harvie.

So, no need to go to the Police about concerns... the Crown Office is happy to deal with the matter 'in-house' instead..?

Anonymous said...

and dont forget there are plenty convicts working at the Crown Office itself with just as many drunk drivers among them

Anonymous said...

As bad as the judges and the judge 'cleared' her.There will have been a few deals done for guilty verdicts on other cases in this fiddle

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7992244.stm

Fiscal cleared of drink-driving

A Scottish prosecutor caught drunk behind the wheel of her car after downing a quarter bottle of vodka has been cleared of drink-driving.

Anne Hart, 38, from Dundee, was found by police at the wheel of her BMW on 12 January.

Ms Hart admitted being intoxicated and in charge of a vehicle.

However, her solicitor successfully argued she had not intended to drive, and had placed the car keys on the passenger side floor as a precaution.

Ms Hart told Arbroath Sheriff Court that her private life had been in turmoil at the time of the incident, which occurred on Ferry Road, Monifieth.

She said she pulled her car over because she was upset and drank the vodka. She then phoned her brother to ask him to pick her up.

She said: "I vaguely remember the police coming, and I said to the police, 'The keys are not in the ignition, they are on the floor. It's OK, I'm a fiscal'.

"I had no intention of driving. I am a procurator fiscal and I know the law."

Sheriff Jamie Gilmour acquitted Ms Hart and said: "I had to consider whether there was a likelihood that the accused was going to drive while still under the influence of alcohol. The defence case does cast a reasonable doubt on each of the circumstances."

But the decision has angered road safety campaigners.

Margaret Dekker, spokeswoman for the Scottish Campaign Against Irresponsible Driving (Scid), said: "This is an astonishing decision. Does this mean that everyone up on drink-driving charges will use this excuse now? She has had plenty of time to think of her defence.

"It sends out the wrong message completely, especially as the drink-driving figures have not gone down for a decade.

"What happens now she prosecutes a drink-driver? She will be very biased towards them, and I hope that she will never be allowed to do so."

Anonymous said...

and another yet isnt it funny they dont seem to catch their own staff stealing laptops or taking bribes to fix cases in the High Court

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2010/10/22/highly-regarded-prosecutor-s-career-in-tatters-as-she-is-hit-with-car-ban-following-drink-drive-smash-86908-22650952/

'Highly regarded' prosecutor's career in tatters as she is hit with car ban following drink drive smash

Oct 22 2010 Kurt Bayer

A YOUNG prosecutor sobbed in the dock yesterday when she was banned from driving for three years after crashing her car into oncoming traffic while drunk.

Janine Bates, 30, appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court, where she frequently worked as a prosecutor, after spending the night in the cells.

She pleaded guilty to the drink-driving charge and one of careless driving which caused injury.

The court was told that the "highly regarded" fiscal's career was in tatters after her drunken car smash shame.

Procurator fiscal Catriona Dalrymple said that at 9.40pm on Wednesday, Bates was driving on Arbroath Road in Dundee when she veered across the centre line and collided with a Renault Scenic in the oncoming lane.

A passenger in the car she collided with suffered a dislocated little f inger and received treatment at the city's Ninewells hospital.

Emergency services attended the scene and when police asked Bates who was at the wheel, she replied: "I was driving, don't worry."

Ms Dalrymple told the court: "When police off icers were speaking to the accused, they detected a smell of alcohol on her breath."

Bates, a depute fiscal at Perth procurator fiscal office, gave a positive roadside breath test.

She was taken to police headquarters, where she was found to be three times the legal drink limit.

Suspended Sheriff Linda Smith disqualified Bates from driving for three years "in view of the high reading" and fined her £630.

She told a visibly distraught Bates: "You don't need me to tell you the seriousness of your reading and the circumstances you found yoursel f in and the consequences this will have for you."

Bates, of Dundee, was suspended from her post at the Crown Office yesterday and could lose her job.

Her solicitor George Donnelly told the court that Bates had more than enough money on her to get a taxi and "cannot explain" why she took her car to drive from one friend's house to another.

He said: "She has been involved in a social network where drink has been taken. Regrettably, on October 20, more drink than usual was taken."

He added: "This has terrible consequences because this will have a catastrophic effect on her career."

In January, another Tayside fiscal, Anne Hart, 39, was banned from driving for 18 months and fined £400 after smashing into a parked car while drunk at the wheel.

Anonymous said...

How many judgements do you think this will affect?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

The letter from the Crown Office is a nonsense - the public are fully entitled to see all the information on these judges not least because we pay their salaries and since they sit in judgement on the rest of us.

Disgusting.Crown Office are no better.

3 February 2012 16:05

Agreed!

9 February 2012 13:56
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unfortunately this is what happens when the Crown Office are above the Law and answer to nobody.

The should release the information if they were doing their duty as Public Servants, which is what they are supposed to be but they do not consider themselves to be serving the Scottish Public.

The serve only their friends, which invariably means criminals.

As such, they are operating as a CRIMINAL GANG and the Police should move in and make multiple arrests immediately.

Anonymous said...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-16982489

I see the bbc are being used by the Law Society of Scotland for a bit of spin on the house sale issue.Poor them all their member law firms cant rip off customers anymore because banks are taking their business elsewhere.

Funny how the bbc run stories for the Law Society but never run one against them isnt it.

Anonymous said...

Host of Solicitors From Hell Style Sites Appear Following Court Action.

They reported The Law Society spent roughly £150,000 on shutting down the website Solicitors from Hell but faces a latest setback as it has emerged that similar websites attacking UK firms are appearing online, with some said to be hosted abroad to protect them from the British authorities.
-------------------------------
Law Societies reaping what they have sown, poetic justice is better than Law Society justice because they spend £0.00 protecting clients.

Diary of Injustice said...

10 February 2012 13:11

That may be however its good to see Banks approaching websites for advice on which law firms to steer clear of.

Its also good to see those same banks sharing information on what the law firms were doing, as in ripping off their customers and the banks so really one cant blame the banks for dumping the Law Society of Scotland members who were just in it for themselves anyway.

9 February 2012 22:59

In time, lots.

8 February 2012 10:21

Police can only do as instructed by the Crown Office so if the Lord Advocate doesn't want to charge or prosecute due to the possibility the justice system will lose face, respect or credibility, expect no prosecutions or charges.

Anonymous said...

I take it from that you helped put the boot in with HSBC.Good lad.Ruin all the focker lawyers as much as you can.The ones who treat their clients like sh*t deserve it.

Anonymous said...

There is enough evidence from the post and in the comments to conclude neither the judiciary or the prosecutors are fit to be in the justice system - both are riddled with corruption.

Anonymous said...

Like it or not the fact is Cherbi has done more for people in Scotland against these bastards in the legal profession than all the regulators politicians and lawyer loving sycophants put together.Its a good thing you chose to speak out and all those news stories have done the world of good to show people exactly the trash walking around in the justice system.Keep it up mate.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

"There is a rumour a lawyer from Glasgow has recruited someone to injure or kill Mr Peter Cherbi"
================================
That would be their greatest mistake, they better not even so much as threaten Peter.

Anonymous said...

Actually BBC Scotland was amazing tonight.They managed to prioritise Craig Whyte's court problems over an armed siege in the centre of Glasgow.

So don't be too worried about crooked judges not making it onto the news because the reality of life is clearly not on some of the media's agenda.

Anonymous said...

FYI I have heard the sheriff who has constantly denied me a fair hearing is linked to a corrupt local builder who bribes local council officials for contracts how can I expose this crook and would you be willing to help me?

Anonymous said...

• 1 contravention of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, section 111A(1)(a) – plea of not guilty has been entered and the case is presently ongoing

Oh dear what are they going to do now?The plan was to cover this case up so it never became public.Now you've put it about there will be problems..

Anonymous said...

Great news to see all these law firms collapsing or merging hahaha fantastic work Peter you have really ripped the living crap out of all these lawyers for what they did to you.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/more-scots-legal-firms-to-face-mergers.16712693

More Scots legal firms to face mergers
Russell Leadbetter

MORE big names in Scotland's legal profession are likely to disappear as the industry comes under increasing pressure and sees further mergers, experts fear.

The gloomy prediction comes after two recent mergers involving well-known Scots law firms, which will see some of the most established names in the business ceasing to exist.

While companies such as Dundas & Wilson and McGrigors may be dominant north of the border, Ms Griffiths said: "Growth outside Scotland has been a struggle – and it can only get trickier with the end of the RBS-HBOS gravy train."

She added: "The fact these particular institutions are giving out less work is definitely having an effect and new entrants into the profession are going to find cheaper ways of offering consumer legal services. This is much more dangerous to the legal establishment."

FANTASTIC TO HEAR IT,WHAT STUPID FOREIGN COMPANY IS WILLING TO DO BUSINESS WITH CORRUPT SCOTTISH LAW FIRMS

On the loss of such long-established names, Austin Lafferty, vice-president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: "It is a free market and firms' decisions are respected whether they are expanding, merging, splitting up or just getting on with business as usual. Clearly, the economic circumstances everyone is in affect the legal profession too."

Asked whether the Law Society would rather there were no further mergers, so the Scottish profession protected its identity, Mr Lafferty said: "Ideally we would like to see Scottish identity at the forefront of firms operating in Scotland and the UK – a number of Scottish-based firms practise in England and beyond very successfully."

RUBBISH MR LAFFERTY GO OFF TO FIND YOUR IDEAL ARIP OFF ELDERLY CLIENT WITH A HOUSE TO SELL AS YOU SAID ON THE RADIO

Anonymous said...

The Law Society of Scotland is the professional body for Scottish solicitors. We were established in 1949 and are financed by our members without any funding from government.

Not only do we regulate and represent all practising solicitors in Scotland but we have an important duty towards the public interest. (THAT IS A JOKE). All practising solicitors are members of the Society and are required to meet our high standards.(YES PROTECT THE MASTER POLICY BY DRIVING CLIENTS TO SUICIDE, YOU SHOULD ALL BE JAILED FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. NO DOUBT LAFFERTY'S MOB BELIEVE THIS B******T).

Anonymous said...

Great news to see all these law firms collapsing or merging hahaha fantastic work Peter you have really ripped the living crap out of all these lawyers for what they did to you.


Yes lovely isnt it and that slavering Law Society President is full of you know what!

Lets ruin as many law firms as possible folks they have already done it to us so lets turn the tables Peter leads the way!

Anonymous said...

This really is a fine blog from Scotland and I like your news coverage.A true public interest issue and not just over there you know we have a few of those crooked lawyers in the States as well so its good to learn how you tackle them,a good education for me!

Anonymous said...

Austin Lafferty, vice-president of the Law Society of Scotland, vice-president Austin, that is handy, if you get any complaints you can shred them yourself, which will allow Yelland's shredder to cool down a bit.

Anonymous said...

Be advised that Des Hudson, Chief Executive of the Law Society, thinks that you the public are unfit to post complaints on a site of this nature: just in case you don’t know what you are talking about or bear grudges or are liars or cranks. But as was so eloquently put by one recent Law Society Gazette blogger responding to the End of the line for Solicitors From Hell article of 16 November 2011:

‘And if there are any cranks out there they were probably quite normal before whatever experience they suffered at the hands of the legal profession and their attempts to complain through the normal channels fell on deaf ears’.

Learn from battle hardened clients like us not the hard way from them. Lawyers are one of the most unjust groups in the world.

Anonymous said...

Mr Mulholland doesnt look very interested in arresting the judges does he

Anonymous said...

So what are the corrupt Police doing about the death threat or are they the ones carrying it out?I thought it was now the case we cant say boo to a goose on teh internet without the cops coming along and 'detecting' it.Honestly I wouldn't trust the Police with a second hand tampax they are to blame for a lot of these lawyers getting away with it and just like with the newspaper hacking this lack of Police activity is NO ACCIDENT now is it folks

Diary of Injustice said...

11 February 2012 14:30

Send more information on your case and what that Sheriff did to scottishlawreporters@gmail.com

Anyone with issues about Sheriffs and other members of Scotland's judiciary, or even the Crown Office send details to scottishlawreporters@gmail.com

Diary of Injustice said...

12 February 2012 14:52

The Police are not so much the problem, its more the Crown Office and the Law Society of Scotland, with a mix of suspicious figures from the legal establishment thrown in for good measure ...

If you read the article about the Crown Office allowing the 14 accused legal aid defrauding lawyers to escape prosecution, things may be a lot clearer ...

Anonymous said...

I thought the legal aid one may give you problems because of the amounts of money involved and all that egg on the face of the Lord Advocate's office.

Clearly corruption runs deep and killing the occasional journalist to cover it up is viewed as acceptable in Scotland.

I dare say its happened before and will happen again.Just watch yourself.

Anonymous said...

So when are these criminals being made to resign from the bench?

Its bloody obvious even to a child you cant have a convicted crook as a judge in any sensible world.

Anonymous said...

Be advised that Des Hudson, Chief Executive of the Law Society, thinks that you the public are unfit to post complaints on a site of this nature: just in case you don’t know what you are talking about or bear grudges or are liars or cranks. But as was so eloquently put by one recent Law Society Gazette blogger responding to the End of the line for Solicitors From Hell article of 16 November 2011:

‘And if there are any cranks out there they were probably quite normal before whatever experience they suffered at the hands of the legal profession and their attempts to complain through the normal channels fell on deaf ears’.

Learn from battle hardened clients like us not the hard way from them. Lawyers are one of the most unjust groups in the world. They can ruin you legally because they are omnipotent and you are rightless. Internet web sites are critically important to protect people from a profession who cover up their crimes by bureaucracy. Hudson thinks we are unfit because in his mind we are not valuable human beings, he thinks we are sub humans, things to be used for his membership to profit by. Hudson, I would never complain to any professional union. Your bureaucracy was set up to hide lawyer criminality and you know Hudson the truth is coming out that the Law Societies are legal dictatorships. I will never get justice against my lawyer but I take great pleasure in warning other people Hudson and you cannot stop me. We must target the supply side to control people like you, to use a legal term there can never be a meeting of the minds with people like you.

Anonymous said...

Online Exclusive: Austin Lafferty's blog - Front and Centre

A festive greeting to you all. Members of the Law Society of Scotland, advocates, sheriffs and judges, academics, general readers and friends everywhere – a merry Christmas and happy new year to one and all.

It has been a towsy 2011 – legal aid cuts, the continuing challenge of ABS, the new constitution with its difficult gestation. Yet there has been a lot of good. Lots of firms reinventing themselves, better business practice shoring up changing markets, determination to survive - and even thrive - with excellence as the main remedial tool. Our lawyers are actually bloody good at what they do.

Nothing is certain or safe – but in that we’re no different from any other profession or trade.
=================================
Oh you are incorrect Austin, do not get me wrong I am not accusing you of any wrongdoing but complaining to the SLCC or Law Society, well it is a total waste of time. The only people that are certain not to be safe is lawyers clients, that is why the web sites are critical to expose the crooks in the profession.

Anonymous said...

Give them hell Peter. I read somewhere some of the legal profession hate your guts. Well I have advice for them, clean up your act and Peter will only have good things to say about you.

You see it is a question of ethics and balance. Campainers do not hate all lawyers because there must be some honest lawyers out there but they do not have a halo over their heads so how do we tell the difference?

Anonymous said...

and so ends a week of judges burning their cash bribes they keep under the mattress while Peter Cherbi & co investigate their backgrounds.

I hope you rip the arse out of this lot of criminals its just disgusting these corrupt judges are lording it over the rest of us and letting their pals off the hook who come before them in the courts

Anonymous said...

It's OK, I'm a fiscal'.

"I had no intention of driving. I am a procurator fiscal and I know the law."


What she is really saying is, look guys I am a Procurator Fiscal and as such am above the law.

I can drink and drive when I please and there is nothing you can do about it.

You are just ordinary and I am special and deserve to be treated as such.

Ask yourself this simple question that is begging to be asked and should have been considered by an unbiased Sheriff.

Why would you even consider opening the lid on a bottle of alcohol whilst in the drivers seat of a vehicle?

Would you not drive to a friends house and drink in their house and get their support/advice at the same time?

Or God forbid leave the car parked and take the alcohol and drink it in the street (Surely a lesser crime if caught?)

No, what we have is a lie and then the Sheriff rubber-stamping the lie, as if to rub the Scottish Public's nose in the unjustness of the Decision.

The charge is not drink driving.

The charge is driving whilst in charge of a vehicle!

Not only was she in charge of the vehicle (as there was nobody else in the car) but she was in the drivers seat!

No defence is even possible!

If she was even let off Scot-Free (which seems to be the norm), should steps have not been taken to remove her as a Procurator Fiscal, as there are fundamental problems with a Procurator Fiscal's decision making ability and ability to make safe Decisions affecting vulnerable peoples lives, which is the position she held, which she demonstrated according to the evidence.

It is bad enough letting her off Scot-Free with a drink driving conviction.

It is similarly serious to allow someone who has demonstrated by their action that they are incapable of being a Procurator Fiscal, to be allowed to continue in the job, drawing a salary under false pretences.

She simply must have been causing harm, being allowed to continue to work as a Procurator Fiscal!

Anonymous said...

Diary of Injustice said...
10 February 2012 13:11

Police can only do as instructed by the Crown Office so if the Lord Advocate doesn't want to charge or prosecute due to the possibility the justice system will lose face, respect or credibility, expect no prosecutions or charges.

10 February 2012 15:06
-----------------------------------

I am pretty sure that the Lord Advocate cannot legally tell the Police not to investigate (although I understand as you do, that this has become so commonplace an offence in Scotland that it is considered to be the 'new' Crown Office law)

Dame Elish Angiolini told Fraud Police not to investigate the Law Society of Scotland, after she was informed that the they had indeed broken the law.

This is a Criminal Offence and the Law Society of Scotland have criminals in the midst.

Anonymous said...

It is about time our Police stood up and were counted.

There job is to protect the Scottish People and they have been failing in this regard for way too long.

Get in there and arrest these criminals, who act as if they are above the law, so that we can have our Society back.

Please!

Anonymous said...

Now we have corrupt prosecutors using corrupt judges to get corrupt verdicts!