Paul Harvey appointed Assistant Principal Crown Counsel and strategic lead for the prosecution of sexual and domestic abuse offences.

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC has welcomed Paul Harvey to the principal Crown counsel team.

The team is responsible for leading advocate deputes in the prosecution of serious crime. The four lawyers are joining as assistant principal Crown counsel.

Mr Harvey has served as an advocate depute since 2021. He called to the bar of England and Wales in 2013 and transferred to the Scottish bar in 2017. He has extensive experience working at the European Court of Human Rights, specialising in cases involving criminal procedure and evidence, counter-terrorism and extradition.

Mr Harvey’s work has focussed on the right to a fair trial and the rights of victims in the criminal justice system, particularly in the context of sexual offences and offences against children. He is one of the editors of Mason’s Forensic Medicine and the Law and the co-author of the forthcoming book, The Law of Sexual Offences in Scotland.

As part of the principal Crown counsel team, Mr Harvey will take on the newly created role of strategic lead for the prosecution of sexual and domestic abuse offences.