The father of a murdered Lanarkshire teenager will be 'absolutely delighted' if Scotland gets rid of its controversial not proven verdict.
Joe Duffy's daughter Amanda was found dead on waste ground in Hamilton in 1992. She was just 19 years old.
Francis Auld was acquitted of murdering student Amanda after a jury's verdict was not proven. Known as the third verdict, not proven is unique to Scotland.
Joe has been campaigning to see it scrapped ever since Auld's acquittal.
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The First Minister has announced that plans are in place to abolish it. Nicola Sturgeon said the Governments goals will be set out in an upcoming Criminal Justice Bill.
Joe said the move is 'long overdue' and slams the third verdict as 'unnecessary and outmoded'.
He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Hopefully this Bill will get passed and we will be, as a family, absolutely delighted."
The the Law Society of Scotland has said it is, 'deeply concerned' about the change.
Meanwhile Mr Duffy said: "I don't see how it gives additional protection. If there's insufficient evidence or the evidence isn't good enough you are actually entitled to a not guilty verdict, surely.
"Guilty and not guilty works in every country in the world. The only place that is unique is Scotland."
He said there was no other, 'country in the world that has three verdicts, especially when you consider two of them being exactly the same thing'.
Ms Sturgeon has said that if legislation to abolish the not proven verdict is passed it, 'will be a change of truly historic significance in Scotland.
She also said the change would be firmly intended to improve access to justice for victims of crime'.
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