Court costs for immigrant offences soar

• Special investigation in Scotland
• Translation costs for Eastern Europeans triple
• Most offences are motoring-related

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The number of Eastern Europeans committing road traffic offences has meant that the cost of supplying interpreters in courts in Scotland has tripled.

An investigation by the Aberdeen Press and Journal used information gathered under the Freedom of Information Act to highlight the rising costs.

The largest rise in translation costs was in Aberdeen, where they rose 1300% from £2000 in 2003/4 to £26,000 last year, with the majority of offences being motoring-related.

The total cost to Scottish taxpayers for providing translation services is now £653,000 a year, compared with £167,000 three years ago.