DOMESTIC abuse survivors are being “let down” by a court system leaving them waiting years for a verdict, Scottish Labour said today.

The median wait between an offence being reported and a verdict being reached in 2019/20 stood at 114 days, but Scottish government figures show the wait now stands 632 days while one in 10 cases take over five years to conclude.

The same figures also show the number of domestic abuse incidents reported to Police Scotland grew by 2 per cent between 2023/24 and 2024/25 to 64,967 in 2024-25, while the percentages of cases not cleared-up climbed from 26.2 per cent in 2023/24 to 30.9 per cent in 2024/25.

Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said: “Women are being let down by a justice system that cannot cope.

“Fewer cases are being cleared up by our overstretched police service, while delays in courts mean domestic abuse victims are being left in limbo for months and years on end.

“Violence against women is reaching crisis point and we need a justice system that can confront this issue.

“The SNP must support front-line policing, tackle the backlog in our courts and tackle violence and misogyny right across society.”

Scotland’s victims minister Kirsten Oswald said there had been “targeted action to address pressures” in the court system, adding: “A standalone Sexual Offences Court is also being established to provide a more sustainable model for managing serious cases and reduce pressure across the wider system.

“These changes will improve efficiency, reduce delays and free up court capacity for the most serious cases which will have a positive impact on the movement of cases through the court system.”