Sheriff Graeme Napier at Aberdeen Sheriff Court has refused to deal with any more cases via video link after a particularly challenging connection to Grampian prison where loud, distorted feedback was heard throughout the hearing. Remote hearings via video link have been conducted in response to COVID-19 since spring, however the technology has faced criticism and links do not always work properly.  

According to the Evening Express, the sheriff told court staff: “This is just appalling. I can’t deal with anything from prison by video link. It’s simply not working.” The defence lawyer on the case also observed that “it’s unclear whether the accused person fully understands what’s going on. I think everybody in court was left bemused by the poor performance of the technology, and it’s just unacceptable.” 

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