North-east offenders instructed to carry out unpaid work in the community have had their orders put on hold due to coronavirus.
Unpaid hours of work are routinely handed out to people convicted of crimes at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and across the country.
But with the UK in lockdown to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the orders have temporarily been put on hold.
The time limits for offenders to complete their hours have automatically increased by 12 months for orders imposed on or before April 6.
Scottish ministers have also been granted the power to introduce regulations to extend time scales.
And local authorities responsible for running the schemes have set out how they are dealing with the situation.
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Claire Duncan, social work lead for Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership, said council social workers are keeping in touch with people.
She said: “Those people with only unpaid work requirements who are judged to be vulnerable are being contacted regularly by phone.
“Those who are subject to supervision requirements, some of whom will also have unpaid work requirements, are being contacted regularly by phone, FaceTime, email, text or by a doorstep visit.
“The level of contact with clients is based on risk and vulnerability.
“We have a skeleton staff providing a duty system for those who have been released from custody, are at highest risk, are in crisis, or who are not contactable by phone or online.”
Meanwhile in Aberdeenshire, supervising officers are also staying in “regular telephone contact” with offenders and letting them know the orders are suspended.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court is closed to the public during the health crisis, with all but essential cases postponed.
All jury trials are on hold across the country, and courts are operating with a skeleton staff while observing social distancing.
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