Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail, Bail.............

What is your understanding of the term Bail?

Once an accused appears in court they may be granted Bail as opposed to being remanded in custody. Amongst the usual conditions, being also the most significant for us Plods, is the prerequisite that they do not commit any other offences whilst on said Bail.

Brilliant idea you'd think.

Well it appears that it is only a suggestion, not an order, these days.

I had the misfortune to have to report a miscreant for a custody case the other day who had no less than fourteen, yes fourteen, Bail orders. Took me about two sheets of A4 to list them all in the report.

Part 2 of the quiz is to guess what happened in court the next day when said individual was up before the Sheriff.

Yep, another Bail order and off they go to no doubt create a forest diminishing report for another unlucky colleague when they are next lifted.

As written elsewhere, "You couldn't make this up."