New format to reference for Police Scotland voluntary interviews

From Monday 4 November 2024, Police Scotland will be using additional police stations in the Forth Valley and Highlands and Islands areas to interview suspects on a voluntary basis for low level or minor offences outwith the usual Police Custody Centres.

This is a safe, legal and proportionate process to help reduce travelling times to and from custody centres for officers, suspects and solicitors.

For solicitors attending at these different stations, the same legal aid payment process and fees apply for police station attendances.

The only difference is that the police reference number provided for these cases will now be in the format V123456.

You should enter this new reference when submitting your claim when you are asked for the Police Station Custody Reference Number.

The plan is for the new stations to be used in Forth Valley and Highland and Islands for the next few weeks, with a national roll out for the rest of the country from Monday 2 December.

More information

Please contact:

Kingsley Thomas

Head of Criminal Legal Assistance

Email: thomaski@slab.org.uk