A sheriff has ruled a north-east criminal lawyer who kept him waiting for half an hour was not deliberately trying to hinder proceedings.
Sheriff Edward Savage took contempt of court action against solicitor Peter Keene after he failed to show up on time for a hearing.
Mr Keene had been due to complete a part-heard trial, which was being presided over by Sheriff Savage, on June 30.
However, when the case called that morning the defence agent was nowhere to be seen.
As a result, no further business could be heard and the court had to adjourn for an extra 30 minutes.
At the time Sheriff Savage said he was not pleased by the solicitor’s lateness as he said he knew he should have been appearing on behalf of his client that day.
A hearing took place earlier this month to decide whether Mr Keene was being deliberately obstructive and to see whether he should be found in contempt of court.
Representing the solicitor, who works for city law firm Michael S Allan, Donald MacLeod QC said his client had been due to appear in front of two sheriffs at roughly the same time.
He said normally agents were able to get an alternative firm of lawyers to fill in for them when they had double booked.
However, he claimed Mr Keene’s firm was seen by other legal professionals in the city as “pariahs” and said no other agents are ever willing to help them out.
On the day of the alleged contempt, Mr Keene had been waiting to appear before Sheriff Alison Stirling with a client who was due to be sentenced and believed he had time to deal with the case before his adjourned trial was called.
Mr MacLeod said that when the case went on longer than expected Mr Keene attempted to get a message to Sheriff Savage’s clerk of court but the information was not passed on.
Yesterday Sheriff Savage said he believed it was not Mr Keene’s intention to delay the proceedings and he accepted the solicitor had been put in a difficult position.
As a result no order of contempt was made.