New sheriff member appointed

The Lord Justice General has appointed Sheriff Frances McCartney as the new sheriff member of the Scottish Sentencing Council.

Sheriff McCartney has served in Dumbarton Sheriff Court since 2018, presiding over solemn and civil courts.

She is a temporary judge, a judge of the Upper Tribunal for Scotland and a member of the Scottish Civil Justice Council. 

As joint editor of the Equal Treatment Bench Book for the Judicial Institute for Scotland, she has led the preparation of guidance on the treatment of vulnerable witnesses and court users.

Sheriff McCartney replaces Sheriff Iain Fleming, who completed his five-year term with the Council earlier this year.

Lord Beckett, Lord Justice Clerk and Chair of the Council, said:

“I am very pleased to welcome Sheriff McCartney to the Council.

“Sheriff McCartney brings a wealth of experience, both as a solicitor and a sheriff, and her in-depth knowledge and expertise in criminal law, as well as her work on the treatment of vulnerable court users, will be extremely helpful to the Council.

“I would like to extend my thanks to the Council’s former sheriff member, Sheriff Iain Fleming, who contributed to much during his time with us. In particular, his input to the Council’s research work and development of sentencing guidelines on environmental offences, and on sentencing after a guilty plea, has been invaluable.”

Sheriff McCartney will join the Council for a five-year term.

The appointment has been made in consultation with Scottish Ministers and in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 and The Scottish Sentencing Council (Procedure for Appointment of Members) Regulations 2015.