Sheriff’s fury at trial delay

A DRUGS trial in Scotland involving two Oldham men has been delayed — because it takes three weeks to transfer English prisoners to north of the border.

Sheriff Kenneth Hogg hit out at the hold up saying he was astonished that the accused would not be released by English prison authorities in time.

But the Prison Service insists that any prisoner due to be transferred to Scotland would be placed on the first available escort.

Sheriff Hogg was forced to adjourn the trial in Perth of Jordan Flitcroft (22), who faces a charge of dealing heroin in the town last May as well as giving police a false name and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

His co-accused Alan Taylor (30) also faces the heroin dealing charge, along with a second charge of possessing cocaine.

Fiscal depute (prosecuting lawyer) Alan Kempton proposed putting the trial back after discovering Flitcroft was being held in jail in Lancashire and informing the court about the arrangements for transferring inmates based in England.

Mr Kempton said: “I am told that in England they are transferred from prison to prison until they reach Scotland. I have absolutely no idea why that should be.

“The English prison authorities would not release him previously because they did not have a trial date.

“I am told they need a minimum of three weeks to move a prisoner to Scotland.”

Sheriff Hogg said: “I find it astonishing that to bring a prisoner from England to Perth takes three weeks.

Taylor was present in court and both men, through their solicitors, deny the charges against them.

Sheriff Hogg cancelled the forthcoming trial date and set a new date for March 2.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: “We have not received any recent applications for the transfer of this prisoner into the Scottish prison system.

“Any prisoner due to be transferred into the Scottish prison system would be placed on the next available escort.”