Lord Beckett appointed new Council Chair

The Right Honourable Lord Beckett (above left) has been appointed as Lord Justice Clerk and, by virtue of office, has also become the new Chair of the Scottish Sentencing Council. He replaces Lady Dorrian KC who has retired after nearly nine years as Chair of the Council and Lord Justice Clerk.

Lord Beckett took up the appointment as Chair on Tuesday 4 February when he was sworn into office as Lord Justice Clerk. Lord Beckett has presided over many high-profile cases in the High Court since being appointed as a temporary judge in 2008 and then a judge of the Supreme Courts in May 2016. He was elevated to the Inner House of the Court of Session in July 2023.

Lord Beckett also served on Lady Dorrian’s review on improving the Management of Sexual Offence Cases and is a former Chair of the Judicial Institute.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: “I am delighted to take up the position as Chair of the Council. I would also like to thank my predecessor, Lady Dorrian whose work has been invaluable in establishing Scotland’s first guidelines. As the Council reaches its 10-year anniversary this year, I look forward to building on solid foundations as it moves into its second decade.”

Biography

Lord Beckett is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and was admitted as a solicitor in 1986, working in private practice before being admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1993.

He was appointed an advocate depute in 2003 and became a Queen's Counsel in 2005. He served as Principal Advocate Depute and then Solicitor General for Scotland in 2006.

He became a sheriff in 2008 and was appointed as an appeal sheriff on the establishment of the Sheriff Appeal Court in 2015.