§ 38. Mr. Canavanasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what was the total cost to public funds of the prosecution of Mr. Thomas Docherty for murder.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandThe total cost to public funds of the prosecution of Mr. Thomas Docherty for murder cannot be quantified exactly, as those concerned with the conduct of the prosecution are paid by salary and not per case. These include the Advocate Depute, the Procurator Fiscal, the police witnesses and police forensic witnesses.
However, all the other expenses incurred for this particular case can be calculated, and they amount to £516.50.
§ Mr. CanavanWhy did the Crown Office waste public money and time on this case when there was little, if any, evidence to link the accused with the murder? In view of the scurrilous reference to this case by the Solicitor-General during the Glasgow, Central by-election, does not the hon. and learned Gentleman think that such gutter politics might just have helped the Tory candidate to lose her deposit in that by-election?
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandCrown counsel took the view that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute this case. The result of the case, as in all cases, has nothing to do with the original decision to prosecute which, in Scotland, is taken entirely independently and, I trust, always will be.