SCOTLAND’S justice system is running on “unpaid labour and the goodwill of staff” while “unmanageable” workloads are leading to mistakes, according to a damning report.

The Unity Consulting study, commissioned by the PCS trade union, listened to the voices of workers in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) and found that workers felt overworked and undersupported.

A fifth of SCTS workers and 35 per cent at COPFS said their workload was unmanageable, a situation that 76 per cent at COPFS and 57 per cent at SCTS said had led to them making mistakes or seeing colleagues do so.

Nearly 67 per cent of COPFS staff and just under 60 per cent of SCTS staff told researchers that they “experienced stress and mental ill health because of my job.”

PCS national officer Ruby Gibson said: “Unlike many other reports, we have listened to the people who help deliver justice and know the system best: the workforce.

“These workers are dedicated and committed to their roles in supporting the delivery of justice, even to the extent that they are at times working for free.

“This is an outrageous situation and the responsibility lies at the door of the Scottish government and senior management in COPFS and SCTS.

“The Scottish justice system is in crisis. The voices of PCS members must not be ignored.

“It is time to properly invest in the justice sector and make it fit for purpose.”

A SCTS spokesperson said they were “dedicated to adapting to the evolving needs of the justice system, with staff wellbeing being of paramount importance.”

A COPFS spokesperson said it “values its employees very highly and their welfare is of great importance.”

Both pledged to review and discuss the report with PCS.