6,000 on the run as police fail to fulfil warrants

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 23:11

JUSTICE secretary Kenny MacAskill was accused of "losing grip" on crime yesterday after it was revealed that almost 6,000 suspected criminals are on the run in Scotland as police fail to fulfil their warrants.

The suspects include some feared to have committed some of the most serious crimes, including five outstanding warrants for murder, eight for attempted murder, six for rape and one for attempted rape.

And three of Scotland's police forces admit they do not keep an easily-accessible record of what crime each outstanding warrant was issued for.

Labour justice spokesman Richard Baker said: "This is another example of the mess that the justice system is in under Kenny MacAskill. Someone needs to get a grip on the situation, but there is no confidence in this minister to deliver."

A spokesman for Mr MacAskill confirmed that no guidance was issued on the recording of police warrants.

But Scottish Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: "There has to be a much more determined approach to the execution of warrants, particularly when these relate to a failure to appear on a serious charge."