Criminal law procedings (Scotland) - the Bastard verdict

[Baron_Greenback]

@Mk_VII

“We think you probably did it, but we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt”.
At one time there was a TV show called, IIRC, Murder Not Proven which dramatised cases from the [remote] past that had resulted in this uncommon verdict.

Not so uncommon, according to this Parliamentary research document (PDF)

It is interesting to note that the not proven verdict is used in one third of acquittals by juries, and in one fifth of acquittals in non-jury trials. Because of the higher number of non-jury trials ninety per cent of all not proven verdicts are returned in such cases.

[Meurglys]

Interesting footnote on p3, Baron!
‘One option was to retain the not proven but abolish the not guilty verdict’
Later expanded on a couple of pages later.