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Plans to drop corroboration requirement welcomed

OPPOSITION politicians in Scotland welcomed SNP Justice Secretary Michael Matheson’s announcement yesterday that he will drop the controversial plan to abolish the age-old requirement for corroboration in criminal trials.

It follows a review by former High Court judge Lord Bonomy which recommended that corroboration should be kept for evidence that is related to a confession or is hearsay.

The plan to abolish corroboration was proposed by Mr Matheson’s predecessor Kenny MacAskill in the face of opposition from legal and civil rights campaigners.

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