By Adam Morris
Dozens of suspects are skipping court every day, forcing authorities to issue increasing numbers of warrants for their arrest.
Analysis by 1919 has revealed that there were 19,314 non-appearance warrants granted in 2025/26, significantly more than in previous years.
The figures are part of a rising trend, with accused individuals missing key dates at all levels of courtroom business.
Rising numbers of men facing domestic abuse charges are also failing to show, with more than 3,000 instances last year.
Explanations for the jump range from the increasingly chaotic lives led by offenders, to the deliberate evasion of an under-pressure court system.
Victim Support Scotland said the impact on those awaiting justice was severe.
“When a defendant doesn’t show up to court, this is incredibly difficult for victims and witnesses,” said interim chief executive Debbie Adams.
“On the one hand, the trial is delayed, dragging out their ordeal and forcing them to keep vital evidence at the front of their minds for even longer.
“On the other, there are obvious safety concerns, especially in domestic abuse cases.
“These increases, combined with the widely reported court backlogs and delays to trials, present a bleak prospect for victims and witnesses at court.”
Information published by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) shows there were 18,253 warrants issued last year for “non-appearance of accused” in juryless summary Sheriff Court cases, including 3,015 summary domestic abuse cases.
In addition, there were 989 handed out for more serious solemn cases, which sit in front of a jury, and 72 cases of the most serious offenders dodging a High Court appearance.
The overall total has increased from 17,853 in 2024/25 to 19,314 in 2025/26.
“These increases present a bleak prospect for victims and witnesses at court”
Debbie Adams, Victim Support Scotland
Julia McPartlin, a past president of the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, said many suspects miss court through error rather than design.
“It’s difficult when people have transient addresses, they often change their phone number, and have chaotic lives,” she said. “They then get a fright when the warrant is issued and panic.
“It does put pressure on the police who have to follow these up, and courts are trying to reduce churn, and this issue of course adds to that churn.”
The situation reflects a trend across the rest of the UK.
The figures in England and Wales are compiled differently and gathered by police forces rather than court authorities.
But a rise south of the border prompted former justice secretary Alex Chalk to describe the situation as a “horror show”, which he said encouraged serious criminals to go on the run.
He added: “Every prosecutor knows it gives defendants more opportunity to disappear.”
“Non-attendance is frequently linked to poor mental health, addiction, unstable housing and financial hardship”
Legal sources said numbers for missing dates were lower in the more serious High Court and jury-led Sheriff Court appearances because so many would be attending straight from remand.
The more serious the case, “the more it is pressed upon you the importance of turning up”, they added.
Community Justice Scotland, a government agency which aims to reduce reoffending, said the onus was on the justice system to improve attendance rates.
“Many people who miss court dates are not simply refusing to engage,” said Victoria Guthrie, from the organisation’s insights and intelligence team.
“Evidence shows that non-attendance is frequently linked to challenges such as poor mental health, addiction, unstable housing and financial hardship.
“It is often predictable and preventable, highlighting the importance of accessible communication, practical support and court processes that are designed around the realities many people face.”
The SCTS was contacted for comment.