McArthur urges action to tackle rising sexual and cyber crime

Commenting on new recorded crime figures which show that sexual crimes are up 70% since 2013/14, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur said:

"There is major work still to be done to get justice for victims of sexual crimes.

"Key to that will be driving down court backlogs so that people do not fear their case will drag on for years.

“Police officers and staff work tirelessly to keep our communities safe but it’s clear that a lack of resources and the loss of valuable civilian expertise has had a significant impact. Victims must have confidence that their cases will be dealt with swiftly and sensitively.

“The new Justice Secretary must look again at whether our police and courts have the resources they need to get the job done."

On rising levels of cyber crime including an estimated 3,830 sexual crimes which were cyber-crimes such as disclosing or threatening to disclose intimate images, he added:

"New technology brings with it new challenges. So much of our lives are lived online but with that comes fresh opportunities for scammers, extortionists and abusers.

"The Scottish Government must ensure that officers have the tools, time and expertise to ensure these crimes are properly pursued."