(1)Where the accused shall give written notice to the Crown Agent through his own procurator that he desires to have his case at once disposed of, and declares his intention to plead guilty, it shall be lawful to serve the accused with an indictment and a notice to appear at a diet not less than four clear days after such notice before the sheriff before whom under this Part of this Act he would be cited to a first diet, and it shall not be necessary to lodge or give notice of any list of witnesses or productions.
The notice to appear referred to in this subsection shall be in the form set out in Schedule L to the [1887 c. 35.] Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1887 or in an Act of Adjournal under this Act or as nearly as may be in such form.
(2)At said diet the sheriff, if any plea of guilty has been accepted by the procurator fiscal, shall deal with the case in like manner as a case where the accused pleads guilty at a first diet:
Provided that if the case is such as can be tried only in the High Court, or is of such an aggravated nature that the sheriff shall hold that the question of punishment should be disposed of by that court, the sheriff shall, by interlocutor written on the record copy of the indictment in the form set out in Schedule M to the said Act of 1887 or in an Act of Adjournal under this Act or as nearly as may be in such form, remit the accused to that court for sentence, and such remit shall be a sufficient warrant to bring the accused, without any further notice, before the High Court for sentence at any Sitting at any place that may be convenient, as the Lord Advocate may order, and the original warrant of commitment of such person till liberated in due course of law shall remain in force until he is brought before the High Court for sentence.
(3)If the accused when brought before the sheriff on such indictment shall plead not guilty to the charge or plead guilty only to a part of the charge, and the procurator fiscal shall decline to accept such restricted plea, then the diet shall be deserted pro loco et tempore, and thereafter the procedure against the accused may be according to the other provisions of this Part of this Act.