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Plans to drop corroboration requirement welcomed

OPPOSITION politicians in Scotland welcomed SNP Justice Secretary Michael Matheson’s announcement yesterday that he will drop the controversial plan to abolish the age-old requirement for corroboration in criminal trials.

It follows a review by former High Court judge Lord Bonomy which recommended that corroboration should be kept for evidence that is related to a confession or is hearsay.

The plan to abolish corroboration was proposed by Mr Matheson’s predecessor Kenny MacAskill in the face of opposition from legal and civil rights campaigners.

It was backed in an initial vote at Holyrood in February last year but the law was put on hold pending the review.

In Scottish courts, corroboration requires that there are at least two sources of evidence.

Mr MacAskill had said that the change would increase access to justice. Supporters said it would increase conviction rates for sexual offences.

But legal experts warned that it would lead to more miscarriages of justice.

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