This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Advocate Deputes appointed
19/11/2004
The pool of legal talent available for prosecuting cases
in the High Court widened today as the Lord Advocate, Colin
Boyd QC, announced the latest Advocate Depute
appointments.
John Beckett has been appointed as Assistant Principal
Advocate Depute. He has served as a Senior Advocate Depute
for two years and will provide assistance to Alan Turnbull
QC, Principal Advocate Depute, and will take responsibility
for induction and training. Alan MacKay, an Advocate Depute
for the past 18 months, has been appointed to the position
of Senior Advocate Depute.
A key milestone was reached with the appointment of
Alexander Prentice as an Advocate Depute. It marks the
first ever appointment of a Solicitor Advocate from outwith
the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Mr Prentice
is a highly experienced criminal defence lawyer.
Another Solicitor Advocate, John Martin, has also been
appointed as an Advocate Depute. John has spent much of his
career within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
Service.
Robert Weir and John Halley have been appointed Advocate
Deputes. They are currently on the panel of Ad Hoc Advocate
Deputes.
Colin Boyd said:
"These lawyers will make an invaluable contribution to
the prosecution of the most serious crime in Scotland.
Their skills and experience will strengthen the already
considerable talent that is evident in Crown Counsel and
will assist the Crown's preparation for the High Court
reforms being introduced following the review by Lord
Bonomy.
"I am delighted to have been able to attract such high
quality candidates, from diverse legal backgrounds. Those
appointed include members of the Faculty of Advocates,
Solicitor Advocates and staff in the Crown Office and
Procurator Fiscal Service."
This most recent recruitment will, by March 2005, take
the number of permanent Advocate Deputes to 23.
New arrangements for the appointment and role of
Advocate Deputes were included in a consultation document
in September 2002 and announced in December 2002 in the
document 'Modernising the Prosecution of Serious Crime
- Appointment and Role of Advocate Deputes: The Way
Forward'. These can be viewed at
www.crownoffice.gov.uk.
Advocate Deputes are referred to collectively as Crown
Counsel.
In the past only four Solicitor Advocates have been
appointed as Advocate Deputes. The appointment of Alexander
Prentice marks the first ever appointment of a Solicitor
Advocate from outwith COPFS.
John Beckett will take up his new post from 1 December
2004. John is a member of the Faculty of Advocates. He
graduated from the University of Edinburgh. He worked as a
solicitor from 1986 - 2002, and was called to the bar in
1993. He has served as an Advocate Depute since 2002.
Alan MacKay will take up his new post from 1 January
2005. Alan was educated at Edinburgh University and was
called to the bar in 1990. He has been an Advocate Depute
since 2003.
Alexander Prentice will take up his post on 1 December
2004.
John Martin will take up post on 1 January 2005. John
became a Solicitor Advocate in 1995. He is presently a
Depute Fiscal in Dumfries.
John Halley and Robert Weir will take up their posts in
March 2005.
John studied at the University of Edinburgh. He was
called to the bar in 1997 and has been an Ad Hoc Advocate
Depute since 2003.
Robert took his LL.B at the University of Dundee. He was
called to the bar in 1995 and has been working as an Ad Hoc
Advocate Depute since 2003.