Council Chair Lady Dorrian announces her intention to retire

The Chair of the Scottish Sentencing Council, Lady Dorrian, the Lord Justice Clerk, has announced her intention to retire next year.

Lady Dorrian was appointed as Lord Justice Clerk in April 2016 and by virtue of the office also became Chair of the Council on this date – taking on the role just six months after the Council was established.

During her time as Chair, she has overseen a number of legal firsts for Scotland, including introducing the country’s first sentencing guidelines, defining the principles and purposes of sentencing in Scotland, and completing ground-breaking public perceptions and education work.

The High Court has approved four sentencing guidelines during her tenure, including:

• Principles and purposes of sentencing guideline
• The sentencing process guideline
• Sentencing young people guideline
• Statutory offences of causing death by driving guideline

The Council also commissioned a first-of-its-kind national survey looking at public perceptions of sentencing in Scotland, as well as vital research with the judiciary on community sentencing and with victims of sexual and domestic abuse.

In addition to this, she has overseen the creation of widely used public education materials to help improve understanding of sentencing, and developed productive relationships with other sentencing bodies in the UK and elsewhere. This has included welcoming them to Scotland for international conferences and events examining different perspectives and experiences of sentencing.

Lady Dorrian has written to King Charles III to formally inform him of her intention to retire. The appointment process for a new Lord Justice Clerk and Chair of the Council will begin in due course.