Crime-fighting efforts helped by being part of EU , Lord Advocate says

Being part of the European Union benefits crime-fighting in Scotland, the country's top prosecutor has said.

Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC highlighted how co-operation between European nations helped deal with criminals who work across borders.

Being involved in Europol and with the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) scheme has helped prosecutors in Scotland bring offenders to justice.

He said: "This was also a chance to demonstrate how Scotland benefits from the EU regime of criminal justice co-operation and to explain that we value our ability to contribute to it."

More than 1,000 people wanted by police have been brought to the UK from other European countries thanks to the EAW scheme while the authorities have used them to send about 8,000 individuals the other way.

Mr Wolffe said: "Collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries is an expression of our solidarity in protecting our societies and our people from harm, and of our common commitment to the effective and fair administration of justice."

He made the comments after showing Julian King, European Commissioner for the Security Union, around the Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire.

The Lord Advocate said: "I am very pleased to have the opportunity to show the commissioner the state-of-the-art facility at Gartcosh.

"By being located together on one site, our law enforcement agencies are able to work together more closely and more effectively to tackle serious crime and to keep people safe.

"This was also a chance to demonstrate how Scotland benefits from the EU regime of criminal justice co-operation and to explain that we value our ability to contribute to it."