'Guilty' or 'not guilty' are the black and white verdicts of court cases around the world, and unless a case suffers a mistrial or there's a hung jury, the fate of whoever sits in the dock is clear. That's not the case in Scotland, however, as jurors in legal battles can choose a third option - 'not proven'.
This means the factual allegations against the defendant were not adequately proven in court, increasing their chances of being acquitted and walking free - such as in the 1992 case of Francis Auld. He was accused of murdering Amanda Duffy but the jury returned a 'not proven' verdict. Now Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, has announced a new Criminal Justice Bill that will close the 'historic' loophole.
