Scottish judges’ ruling on sexual assault prosecutions hailed as ‘seismic’

Appeal court rules that distress displayed by complainers to witnesses can be used to corroborate rape claims

Scotland’s most senior law officer has hailed as “transformative” a decision by appeal court judges about the way sexual assaults are prosecuted in the country.

The lord advocate, Dorothy Bain KC, spoke on Wednesday after seven appeal judges ruled that the distress displayed by a complainer to a witness can be used to corroborate whether a rape took place.