Charges against Nicola Sturgeon’s sister dropped by Crown Office

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against the First Minister’s younger sister, Gillian Sturgeon, after she was arrested earlier this month.

The 46-year-old, from Irvine, and a 50-year-old man, were both charged in connection with an incident at a house in nearby Kilwinning on Saturday, August 7.

Police Scotland initially submitted a report to the Procurator Fiscal, but officials now say the charges against the pair will be dropped.

The case remains live to for the time being, allowing both to call for the investigation to be scrutinised in a process known as the Victim’s Right to Review (VRR).

In some circumstances, the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) may decide to re-examine its own decision.

The issue of whether a prosecution will go ahead technically remains open until any review has been completed.

“All charges dropped against me,” Ms Gillian Sturgeon told followers on social media.

“Thank you so much to Womens aid. They have been my saviour and they will continue to be my voice,” she added.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service said: “This matter remains live for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.

“In order to protect any future proceedings and to preserve the rights of the complainers, the Crown will not comment at this stage.”

At the time, police said: "A 50-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with an incident within a house in Kilwinning on Saturday, August 7.

"On August 11, a woman, 46, was arrested and charged after a report on August 10 regarding an incident at a house in Kilwinning on Saturday, August 7."

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.