A £33 million initiative for sharing digital evidence from crime scene to courtroom is being rolled out across Scotland, it’s been announced.

The Scottish government said that the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) allows police officers, prosectures, defence lawyers, court staff, and judges to access a unified secure system to collect, store, process, and manage evidence digitally.

DESC handles evidence including CCTV footage, photographs, as well as data and other materials from computers and mobile devices. It’s to be expanded to include documents and recordings of police interviews.

The system means members of the public and businesses can submit digital evidence—such as material recorded on mobile phones—by email when sent a link by a police officer.

The benefits of the system that’s been put forward include fewer victims and witnesses needing to attend court, cases coming to court and concluding quicker, and police time being saved.

According to a pilot of the programme undertaken in Dundee, roughly 19,500 pieces of evidence were handled through DESC, and meant 550 of police officers’ time was consequently freed up.

DESC’s expansion across Tayside and Forth Valley marks the start of a phased national rollout that’s expected to be completed by autumn 2025.

Commenting on the initiative and its rollout, assistant chief constable Tim Mairs said: “The national roll-out of DESC is a significant step forward in modernising the collection, management and secure storage of digital evidence.

“Until now, police officers have relied on transferring digital evidence such as mobile phone images or CCTV onto USB sticks or discs, before delivering them to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

“Through DESC, officers can obtain and share digital evidence securely and efficiently, saving them time and reducing delays. This supports victims and witnesses to achieve faster justice outcomes.

“The national roll-out will also provide the groundwork for further modernisation of the criminal justice process including supporting the introduction of body worn video for frontline police officers.”

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Andrew Laing, deputy head of local court at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, added: “Being able to see CCTV evidence of an assault or shoplifting taking place, or Ring doorbell footage of a person committing an act of domestic abuse as soon as the matter is reported by police has allowed prosecutors to make better and quicker decisions and faster sharing with the defence to enable the early resolution of cases.

“COPFS and criminal justice partners in Police Scotland, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, the defence community and judiciary will continue to work to transform the justice system and ensure cases move through the system as efficiently as possible, with speedier outcomes and significantly less inconvenience to victims and witnesses.”