Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

117 Presence of appellant or applicant at hearing. S

(1) Where an appellant or applicant is in custody the Clerk of Justiciary shall notify—

(a) the appellant or applicant;

(b) the Governor of the prison in which the appellant or applicant then is; and

(c) the Secretary of State,

of the probable day on which the appeal or application will be heard.

(2) The Secretary of State shall take steps to transfer the appellant or applicant to a prison convenient for his appearance before the High Court at such reasonable time before the hearing as shall enable him to consult his legal adviser, if any.

(3) A convicted appellant, notwithstanding that he is in custody, shall be entitled to be present if he desires it, at the hearing of his appeal.

(4) When an appellant or applicant is to be present at any diet—

(a) before the High Court or any judge of that court; or

(b) for the taking of additional evidence before a person appointed for that purpose under section 104(1)(b) of this Act, or

(c) for an examination or investigation by a special commissioner in terms of section 104(1)(d) of this Act,

the Clerk of Justiciary shall give timeous notice to the Secretary of State, in the form prescribed by Act of Adjournal or as nearly as may be in such form.

(5) A notice under subsection (4) above shall be sufficient warrant to the Secretary of State for transmitting the appellant or applicant in custody from prison to the place where the diet mentioned in that subsection or any subsequent diet is to be held and for reconveying him to prison at the conclusion of such diet.

(6) The appellant or applicant shall appear at any diet mentioned in subsection (4) above in ordinary civilian clothes.

(7) Where the Lord Advocate is the appellant, subsections (1) to (6) above shall apply in respect of the convicted person, if in custody, as they apply to an appellant or applicant in custody.

(8) The Secretary of State shall, on notice under subsection (4) above from the Clerk of Justiciary, ensure that sufficient male and female prison officers attend each sitting of the court, having regard to the list of appeals for the sitting.

(9) When the High Court fixes the date for the hearing of an appeal, or of an application under section 111(2) of this Act, the Clerk of Justiciary shall give notice to the Crown Agent and to the solicitor of the convicted person, or to the convicted person himself if he has no known solicitor.