A sheriff has been suspended after police launched an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.
Sheriff Jack Brown, who sits in Aberdeen, is at the centre of a criminal probe following complaints about his behaviour.
The justiciary has confirmed Sheriff Brown has been suspended while the investigation is carried out.
It is understood allegations have been made against him by a Crown Office employee.
It is believed the allegations were reported to the police by one of the employee’s managers.
A police spokeswoman said: “We have commenced a criminal investigation which is at the early stages and we are unable to comment further.”
And a spokeswoman for the judiciary said: “We can confirm that Sheriff Jack Brown is presently suspended from office.”
The allegations about the sheriff first emerged in November.
A tribunal, headed up by Lord Bracadale, is being held to look into the case.
Lord Bracadale – who was the prosecutor in the Lockerbie bomber case – will act as “inquisitor” alongside Sheriff Alistair Duff, Angela Graham QC and Lady Dorrian, the Lord Justice Clerk, the second most senior judge in Scotland.
Before his suspension, Sheriff Brown had been working in the High Court of Aberdeen.
He was appointed to the city in 2016, but lives in Dundee.
A graduate of Dundee University, he trained with Dundee City Council, then worked with J & J Hunter before becoming a partner in Shaw & Co.
In 1996, he set up his own practice, Jack Brown & Co, in Dundee. He was appointed as a solicitor advocate in 2003 and has been a sheriff since 2005.
