Some of the most enshrined principles of Scottish criminal law are to be called into question in a new review announced yesterday by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

Some of the most enshrined principles of Scottish criminal law are to be called into question in a new review announced yesterday by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

Entrenched rules governing double jeopardy and the disclosure of an accused's previous convictions will come under the scrutiny of the Scottish Law Commission.

The move follows the controversial collapse in September of the World's End murder trial, when Angus Sinclair was formally acquitted of murdering two 17-year-olds, Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, 30 years ago.

At the end of the prosecution case Lord Clarke ruled there was no case to put before the jury, and Sinclair - with a lifelong career as a murderer, rapist and sexual predator already behind him - returned to prison for the rest of his life.

There were further repercussions. The Herald revealed Strathclyde and Lothian and Borders police had Sinclair as a suspect for four other murders in 1977, those of Anna Kenny, Hilda McAuley, Agnes Cooney and Frances Barker.

Police sources claimed this had been halted because another man, Thomas Young, is already serving a life sentence for the murder of Frances Barker, and that the Crown did not want the embarrassment of a miscarriage of justice case. Young has since lodged an appeal against his conviction.

Under review will be judicial rulings that can bring a solemn case to an end without the verdict of a jury, and rights of appeal against this; the principle of double jeopardy; the admissibility of evidence of bad character or of previous convictions; and the Moorov doctrine, where a particular pattern of behaviour, time of day, or location can be used to corroborate other evidence, for example where several different women have accused someone of rape.

Mr MacAskill said: "Fairness for both the victim and the accused is at the heart of any good justice system. But so too is public confidence.

"Good government is about listening to public and political concerns with a cool head."