News / Sheriff accepts security firm’s apology
PRISONER escort company G4S has sincerely apologised to Lerwick Sheriff Court after facing allegations of contempt of court for delivering prisoners late for their hearings, last month.
The company’s head of operations Willie Galloway and company solicitor Gregor Rolfie appeared before sheriff Philip Mann on Wednesday morning.
Mr Rolfie accepted that the company had been in clear breach of its contractual obligations when prisoners were late for their court hearings on 22 and 23 July.
He said the situation had arisen from a “breakdown of communication” and assured the court that a number measures had already been put in place to ensure that this could not happen again.
Sheriff Mann said he was prepared to close the case after accepting the company’s explanation “by the closest whisker”.
G4S fell foul of court rules when they were late in taking four prisoners from Aberdeen to the court in Shetland.
In order to arrive on time for a 10am court appointment in Lerwick, prisoners and their escorts have to be booked on the 6.40am flight from Aberdeen to Sumburgh, in Shetland.
Mr Rolfie said that on 22 July the single prisoner was only booked on the 10am flight leaving Aberdeen following an internal communication that was misunderstood.
The following day, attempts were made to book three prisoners and four escorts on the 6.40am flight but not enough seats were available, he said.
No efforts were made to book the ferry instead, which leaves Aberdeen the previous night arriving in Shetland at 7.30am.
Mr Rolfie said that in his view there had been no willful defiance of court orders and then listed a number of improvements the company is now in the process of implementing to their Aberdeen operations.
These include:
- An increase in the number of staff from 15 to 25;
- Appointment of a new head of logistics with more experience;
- An obligation to use the ferry should there not be enough seats available on the morning flight;
- A new communication system between G4S and the courts.
He said the company was obliged to have prisoners delivered to court at least half an hour before their hearing to allow them to speak to their legal representation or to social services.
Under its contract with the Scottish Government, G4S will suffer “significant penalties” for late deliveries that result in delaying court procedures, he added.
Sheriff Mann said he wasn’t “particularly persuaded” whether or not there had been “some contempt of court” but was prepared to close the case as G4S was making a “very serious attempt” to improve its performance.
During proceedings the sheriff also revealed that he had been approached by Shetland MSP Tavish Scott who had offered to pass on an e-mail he had received from within the company tendering an explanation for the lateness..
Sheriff Mann said he found the MSP’s approach “highly inappropriate” and declined to become involved.
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