Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975

[F1338A Desertion of trial diet.S

(1)It shall be competent at the diet of trial, at any time before the first witness is sworn, for the court, on the application of the prosecutor, to desert the dietpro loco et tempore.

(2)If, at a diet of trial, the court refuses an application by the prosecutor to adjourn the trial or to desert the diet pro loco et tempore,and the prosecutor is unable or unwilling to proceed with the trial, the court shall desert the dietsimpliciter.

(3)Where the court has deserted a dietsimpliciterunder subsection (2) above (and the court’s decision in that regard has not been reversed on appeal), it shall not be competent for the prosecutor to raise a fresh libel.]