Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

32Bail appeal

(1)Where an application for bail—

(a)after committal until liberation in due course of law; or

(b)by a person charged on complaint with an offence,

is refused or where the applicant is dissatisfied with the amount of bail fixed, he may appeal to the High Court which may, in its discretion order intimation to the Lord Advocate or, as the case may be, the prosecutor.

(2)Where, in any case, an application for bail is granted, or, in summary proceedings an accused is ordained to appear, the public prosecutor, if dissatisfied—

(a)with the decision allowing bail;

(b)with the amount of bail fixed; or

(c)in summary proceedings, that the accused has been ordained to appear,

may appeal to the High Court, and the applicant shall not be liberated, subject to subsection (7) below, until the appeal by the prosecutor is disposed of.

(3)Written notice of appeal shall be immediately given to the opposite party by a party appealing under this section.

(4)An appeal under this section shall be disposed of by the High Court or any Lord Commissioner of Justiciary in court or in chambers after such inquiry and hearing of parties as shall seem just.

(5)Where an applicant in an appeal under this section is under 21 years of age, section 51 of this Act shall apply to the High Court or, as the case may be, the Lord Commissioner of Justiciary when disposing of the appeal as it applies to a court when remanding or committing a person of the applicant’s age for trial or sentence.

(6)In the event of the appeal of the public prosecutor under this section being refused, the court may award expenses against him.

(7)When an appeal is taken by the public prosecutor either against the grant of bail or against the amount fixed, the applicant to whom bail has been granted shall, if the bail fixed has been found by him, be liberated after 72 hours from the granting of the application, whether the appeal has been disposed of or not, unless the High Court grants an order for his further detention in custody.

(8)In computing the period mentioned in subsection (7) above, Sundays and public holidays, whether general or court holidays, shall be excluded.

(9)When an appeal is taken under this section by the prosecutor in summary proceedings against the fact that the accused has been ordained to appear, subsections (7) and (8) above shall apply as they apply in the case of an appeal against the granting of bail or the amount fixed.

(10)Notice to the governor of the prison of the issue of an order such as is mentioned in subsection (7) above within the time mentioned in that subsection bearing to be sent by the Clerk of Justiciary or the Crown Agent shall be sufficient warrant for the detention of the applicant pending arrival of the order in due course of post.