AN INNERLEITHEN case was the final one to be heard at the last ever sitting of Duns Sheriff Court..

Paul Thompson, 35, appeared from custody and pleaded not guilty to two charges of threatening and abusive behaviour towards his partner.

The offences were said to have happened at a house in Montgomery Street, Innerleithen..

Thompson, who gave a bail address at Highfields in Berwick-upon-Tweed, will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on April 16 with an intermediate hearing on March 16.

Centuries of local justice being administered have come to an end with the closure of Duns and Haddington sheriff courts.

They were the final courts on the hit list in the Lothian and Borders area to close their doors as part of the Scottish Court Service’s nationwide review.

A total of 10 have or will be closed as part of the cost-cutting exercise - the others being Peebles, Dornoch, Kirkcudbright, Rothesay, Cupar, Arbroath, Stonehaven and Dingwall.

Both sheriff courts in Duns and Haddington date back to the early 19th century with evidence of a burgh court in Duns existing in 1587.

Sheriff Principal Mhairi Stephen attended a ceremony to mark the final sitting of Haddington Sheriff Court where business will now be re-directed to Edinburgh Sheriff Court. At the close of business at Duns, lawyer Eliot McQuarrie of JD Clark & Allan WS presented a petition to the presiding sheriff, signed by local lawyers, urging Scottish Ministers “in the interests of justice to re-establish a court here in Duns”.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond said he would continue to the next sitting of the court in Duns. He went onto thank all the staff from the sheriff and justice of the peace court in Duns who had helped administer justice from the Newtown Street building.

Sheriff Drummond concluded: “Unless there is any other business, that closes the business of Duns Sheriff Court.” All business at Duns will now be transferred to Jedburgh 32 miles away.