[F1 Criminal investigations S

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 9A-9C and cross-heading inserted (23.12.2015) by The Victims' Rights (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/444), regs. 1(2), 13

9A. Victims’ right to protection during criminal investigations S

(1) During a criminal investigation into an offence or alleged offence, the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland must ensure that—

(a) a relevant interview is conducted without undue delay after a complaint about the offence or alleged offence has been made to a constable,

(b) the number of relevant interviews is kept to a minimum,

(c) relevant interviews are carried out only where strictly necessary for the purposes of the criminal investigation,

(d) during a relevant interview, the person who is or appears to be a victim in relation to the offence or alleged offence is permitted to be accompanied by the person’s chosen legal representative and a person of the person’s choice, unless a constable makes a reasoned decision to the contrary, and

(e) medical examinations of the person who is or appears to be a victim in relation to the offence or alleged offence are kept to a minimum and are carried out only where strictly necessary for the purposes of the investigation.

(2) In this section, a “relevant interview” means an interview of a person who is or appears to be the victim in relation to an offence or alleged offence conducted or arranged by a constable for the purposes of a criminal investigation into the offence or alleged offence.]