Public Interest

What happens to someone accused of a crime and reported to the Procurator Fiscal will be based on the evidence available and on the Procurator Fiscal’s assessment of the public interest.

Public Interest means that the Fiscal will consider all angles, not just how the victim of the crime feels. They will take account of factors such as:

• The nature and seriousness of the crime
• The impact on the victim and other witnesses
• The age and personal circumstances of the victim and other witnesses
• The age, background and personal circumstances of the accused
• How long ago the event took place
• Any mitigating circumstances
• The effect of prosecution on the accused, the victim and the local community or general public opinion
• The risk of further offending
• Other remedies available.