THE CROWN Office and Procurator Fiscal Service last night declined to comment on the reasons for accepting guilty pleas to reduced charges from the four accused.

However, a spokesperson said prosecutors had a duty to consider pleas offered by the defence and would accept pleas considered to be in the public interest.

“They must give careful consideration to any offer to plead guilty to lesser or amended charges,” she said.

“In entering into plea negotiation prosecutors are, as in all things, acting in the public interest and they must have proper regard to the interests of victims and witnesses and in particular to the effect of the crime.

“Resolving a case by the acceptance of a plea can spare victims and witnesses the need to give evidence and the distress and uncertainty that can be caused by a trial.

“In particular, it eliminates the risk of not obtaining a conviction following a trial and it involves an admission and acknowledgement of guilt on the part of the accused.”