Sentencing guidelines for sexual offences and domestic abuse
Date: Monday 7 December 2026
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
How are Scotland’s courts dealing with the complex realities of sentencing gender-based violence?
The Scottish Sentencing Council has newly revised its guidelines on rape offences. There are also developments in domestic abuse sentencing guidelines. The legal and support landscape across Scotland is changing a lot.
Whether you work in law, social work, policy, advocacy or the court system, understanding how these frameworks work is critical to your practice. This session bridges the gap between judicial practice and frontline reality.
By the end of the session, participants will:
- have a clear breakdown of the new structured frameworks
- understand how these guidelines were developed and how they balance systemic predictability with judicial independence
- have better knowledge of how the guidelines are used in court
This session is designed for professionals across Scotland, including solicitors, advocates, Police Scotland personnel, criminal justice social workers, policy makers and third-sector support specialists.
If your work touches the justice system or supports survivors of trauma, these guidelines directly influence the outcomes of the cases you manage. Sign up to make sure your organisation stays informed, compliant and trauma-informed.
Speakers
David Dickson, principal legal officer to the Scottish Sentencing Council
David was seconded to the Council from the Scottish Government. He has previously worked as a criminal defence solicitor, a procurator fiscal depute and for the Law Society of Scotland. While at the Scottish Government, he worked on summary justice reform, court efficiency and the greater use of technology in the justice system. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1989 with an honours degree in law.
Valerie MacGregor, principal policy officer (engagement)
Valerie has worked with the Council as a principal policy officer since May 2022. She has previously worked as head of judicial communications and as the Council’s communications manager. Before joining the court service, she worked as a journalist for a national news agency. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a master’s degree in History and studied journalism at Napier University.
How to sign up for this session
Council employees can sign up on MyLearning Hub.
If you do not work for us sign up using Microsoft forms.