Commenting on the report from Children 1st, accusing the Scottish judicial system of failing children, Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson Mike Pringle MSP said:

“Liberal Democrats share the concerns of victim support agencies that vulnerable witnesses and victims of crime are not receiving adequate support during the judicial process.

“It’s really important that vulnerable people, particularly children, are supported during the often traumatic experience of appearing in court. So far, I am pleased that the Scottish Government appears to have taken on board our concerns about the lack of formal training for judges to help them work with witnesses and victims of crime.

“We believe that judges should receive mandatory training to enable them to support better the individuals who appear before them.”