22 October 2026 | Session One: Modernising Justice
8:15 AM – 9:10 AM
9:10 AM – 9:20 AM
Conference Chair
Alison McLaughlin, Digital Transformation Strategist,
Alison is a recognised digital leader in Scotland with a wealth of experience of many ground-breaking digital programmes across the public sector. She has worked with many organisations across the Justice sector including Disclosure Scotland, Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Courts and Crown Office. Her experience also includes a 2.5 year secondment as Head of the Digital Transformation Division of the SG Digital Directorate, during which she was involved in the Digital Justice DESC programme.
Alison is a former Chair of ScotlandIS and now works as a digital transformation strategist working with public and private sector to drive digitally enabled change.
9:20 AM – 9:30 AM
More information coming soon
9:30 AM – 9:50 AM
International Keynote: Policing the Future
A leading international policing voice shares insights on how technology-driven investigatory capabilities, advanced analytics and AI are reshaping modern law enforcement and what Scotland can learn from global best practice.
Armando Aguilar, Assistant Chief of Police, Criminal Investigations Division,
Miami Police Department
Assistant Chief of Police Armando R. Aguilar is the Miami Police Department’s (MPD) Administration Division Chief, where he oversees approximately 300 sworn and civilian employees. He has held senior management positions in all divisions of the MPD (Criminal Investigations, Field Operations, Administration, Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Chief of Police). Assistant Chief Aguilar has implemented offender-focused strategies which have contributed to significant reductions in violent crime and significant increases in case clearance rates. Assistant Chief Aguilar developed the MPD’s facial recognition technology policy, which has been cited as a model by several research organisations and law enforcement agencies for its conscientious approach toward balancing privacy concerns with public safety needs.
9:50 AM – 10:05 AM
Keynote: From Evidence to Verdict
Streamlining digital forensics across police, prosecution and defence - improving outcomes for those who come into contact with the justice system in Scotland.
ACC Stuart Houston, Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism and Intelligence,
Police Scotland
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston is the Police Scotland executive lead for Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism and Intelligence.
ACC Houston's portfolio consists of the following business areas:
- Specialist Crime Support including International Unit
- Fraud, Cyber Crime and Digital Forensics
ACC Houston was appointed to his current portfolio in February 2025, having previously been the ACC for the Professionalism and Assurance portfolio since August 2023.
He has previously performed command roles within Intelligence Support and Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit within Specialist Crime Division.
ACC Houston joined Lothian and Borders Police in May 1996 and has undertaken a number of investigative roles across Local Policing and Specialist Crime Division.
10:05 AM – 10:20 AM
More information coming soon
10:20 AM – 10:30 AM
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Expert Panel: Connecting the Justice Digital Landscape
A cross-agency panel examining the opportunities and challenges of building a connected, digitally-enabled justice system, from policing and prosecution through to victim support and custody.
Keith Dargie, Chief Digital Officer,
COPFS
Closing the Implementation Gap - Turning AI Ambition into Operational Reality: Keith Dargie is Chief Digital Information Officer at COPFS, Scotland’s independent prosecution service, where he leads digital and information services across a complex national justice organisation. He brings extensive senior executive experience across government and the public sector, with a strong track record of translating digital ambition into delivered outcomes and improved citizenfacing services. Keith’s current priorities include the strategic delivery of innovative digital casework systems, scaling AI, data analytics and process automation from pilots to impact, and enabling practical, trustworthy digital transformation at enterprise and system level.
Jacqueline Cassidy, Director of Service Delivery,
Victim Support Scotland
Jacqueline Cassidy joined Victim Support Scotland as Director of Service Delivery in January 2024, bringing expertise in trauma-informed practice and a strong commitment to community-based support. She is currently leading on a Service Delivery Model Review to ensure victim support services to best meet the needs of people impacted by crime. She has held senior leadership roles across the third sector, including at The Fostering Network, Place2Be, and Children in Scotland, where she led programmes improving outcomes for children and young people. Jacqueline holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and is a Churchill Fellow. She serves as a trustee at Includem and Ready Generations.
Andrew Hendry, Chief Digital & Information Officer,
Police Scotland
Andrew began his career in Technology within Civil Engineering sector with a focus on technology solutions across transport systems. Following this he moved into leadership roles in Construction and Utilities sectors.
Moving into Energy - He held senior leadership roles with a focus on Digital, Transformation and redesigned Target Operating Model development across global organisations. In September 2019 Andrew was appointed as Police Scotland's first Chief Digital and Information Officer. Joining the Police Scotland Executive Command & Leadership Team, Andrew has overseen a wide portfolio consisting of Transformation, Digital & Data Division, Service Design and Innovation. He is the Senior Responsible Officer for a range of programmes including Digital Evidence Sharing Capability, National Body worn Video Programme and Digital Contact.
Nigel Ironside, Head of Digital Services,
Scottish Prison Service
Nigel is Head of Digital Services at Scottish Prison Service and has held past roles as Head of Health and Justice; Governor, HMP Glenochil & Deputy Director Prisons.
Nigel’s objectives include the implementing digital transformation across the SPS to upskill frontline staff and include those in custody to embrace digital inclusion. Developing a new case management platform to support the custodial journey & Digital Ethics in Justice.
Interests outside of work include Cycling, Karate (2nd Dan Black Belt Shotokan), Rugby & Japanese Cooking.
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM
Networking & Refreshments
22 October 2026 | Session Two: Parallel Masterclasses
11:25 AM – 11:55 AM
Masterclass 1 Cloud-Enabled Justice
Masterclass 2 Body-Worn Video & Digital Evidence
Masterclass 3 Cyber Threats to Justice
12:05 PM – 12:35 PM
Masterclass 4 Digital Forensics
Masterclass 5 Predictive Analytics & Risk Assessment
Masterclass 6 Interoperability & Data Sharing
12:35 PM – 1:30 PM
22 October 2026 | Session Three: Parallel Leadership Streams
1:30 PM – 2:50 PM
Justice Transformation
How strategic digital transformation can help Scotland’s justice agencies deliver better outcomes in line with public service reform objectives.
Marion McCormack, Lead for Justice Transformation,
Scottish Government
Marion McCormack leads Justice Transformation, Civil Courts and Inquiries within the Scottish Government. An experienced senior leader with over 20 years' experience across justice, education, business and public health policy, she has a strong track record in delivering complex transformation programmes and digital innovation.
Working with Justice partners on strategic initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Scotland's justice system. Her work includes the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) programme revolutionising the way evidence is shared from crime scene to court room and the Justice Digital Front Door project, exploring a single, secure access point for victims and witnesses . to access information and engage with the justice system.
Dene Burke, Head of Criminal Change Lab,
Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service
As Head of Criminal Change lab Dene leads a team of specialists in the delivery of a progressive change agenda which concentrates on technology and innovation to support the change vision for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals and supporting the overall criminal justice reform strategy. He supports the transformation of the justice system through effective collaboration and the introduction of new technologies to improve the effectiveness of operations and the service provided to others. His team ensures that they consider and put all users at the heart of delivery to improve their experience and the service that is received by all. This has resulted in the delivery of evidence by commission suites, remote provision of evidence functionality and the new Dundee Justice hub.
1:30 PM – 2:50 PM
The Digital Blue Line
A forum for police leaders to explore technology-driven forensic and investigatory capabilities, including analytics and AI.
Harry Schone, Deputy Director,
PoliceAI
Harry Schone is the Data Science and AI Lead at Police Scotland. He leads the Data Science Centre of Excellence, an internal team focussed on delivering efficiencies and capability utilising artificial intelligence and other advanced analytical techniques. This team have deployed solutions across multiple areas of policing and are actively working to harness the benefits of this technology for the people of Scotland.
Armando Aguilar, Assistant Chief of Police, Criminal Investigations Division,
Miami Police Department
Assistant Chief of Police Armando R. Aguilar is the Miami Police Department’s (MPD) Administration Division Chief, where he oversees approximately 300 sworn and civilian employees. He has held senior management positions in all divisions of the MPD (Criminal Investigations, Field Operations, Administration, Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Chief of Police). Assistant Chief Aguilar has implemented offender-focused strategies which have contributed to significant reductions in violent crime and significant increases in case clearance rates. Assistant Chief Aguilar developed the MPD’s facial recognition technology policy, which has been cited as a model by several research organisations and law enforcement agencies for its conscientious approach toward balancing privacy concerns with public safety needs.
1:30 PM – 2:50 PM
Biometrics, Ethics & Public Trust
Live facial recognition and the deployment of biometric technologies: balancing innovation, ethics and winning public confidence.
Prof William Webster, Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner,
William Webster is Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Stirling Management School, University of Stirling. He is a Director of CRISP (the Centre for Research into Information Surveillance and Privacy), a research centre dedicated to understanding the social impacts and consequences of technologically mediated surveillance. Professor Webster has research expertise in the policy processes, regulation and governance of surveillance cameras, privacy and ethics, as well as public policy relating to data protection and eGovernment. He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Information Polity, co-chair of the Scottish Privacy Forum and the EGPA (European Group of Public Administration) Permanent Study Group on eGovernment.
Cheryl Glen, Director,
Scottish Biometrics Commissioner
As Director & Corporate Services Manager, Cheryl has responsibility for all corporate services and business support functions. This includes delivering corporate activities in support of the 4-year Strategic Plan; developing and establishing corporate policies, practices and procedures for the office; ensuring effective management of the organisation and efficient use of its resources in pursuit of its Strategic and Operational aims, and for financial management including accounting, budget and contracts. A highly skilled professional, Cheryl has numerous years of partnership working as an analyst and within management across a variety of settings including government, police, local authorities and national bodies.
Karen McBride, Subject Matter Expert,
Scottish Biometrics Commissioner
Karen is seconded to the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner from the Scottish Police Authority to offer subject matter advice on biometrics, in particular relating to fingerprints. She will contribute to the delivery of thematic assurance reviews and collaborate with stakeholders and partners to increase knowledge exchange and promote initiatives. Karen’s background in forensics spans 31 years and she is a qualified Senior Fingerprint Examiner with experience in the analysis, comparison and evaluation of fingerprints.
2:50 PM – 3:10 PM
Networking & Refreshments
22 October 2026 | Session Four: Parallel Leadership Streams
3:10 PM – 4:30 PM
AI Leadership in Justice & Policing
AI is on the cusp of adoption for a new generation of justice services, with the potential to transform delivery and generate significant productivity benefits across frontline justice services.
Corinne Russell, Data Ethics Lead,
Police Scotland
As Data Ethics Lead Corinne leads Police Scotland’s rights-based approach to data and AI ethics and is responsible for the implementation of the organisation’s Data Ethics Framework. Based within the Chief Data Office, Corinne supports responsible innovation by guiding how Police Scotland uses AI tools in a fair, transparent, and proportionate way. Police Scotland has been recognised as leading the way in the ethical introduction of technologies, aiming to become an organisation driven by the effective and efficient use of data, in an ethical way.
The conversation will focus on how Police Scotland prioritises ethics and public confidence in its use of technology, and how Data Ethics in policing can enable and empower decision-making across the force. Starting with a well-established risk triage process, Police Scotland’s Data Ethics team follows a robust approach to assessing AI; involving key stakeholders in decision-making and encouraging open conversations around risks and benefits.
Corinne previously worked in Police Scotland’s Information Assurance team and has brought knowledge of data protection legislation and information security to her current role, as well as several years of experience of working with data as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst.
Keith Dargie, Chief Digital Officer,
COPFS
Closing the Implementation Gap - Turning AI Ambition into Operational Reality: Keith Dargie is Chief Digital Information Officer at COPFS, Scotland’s independent prosecution service, where he leads digital and information services across a complex national justice organisation. He brings extensive senior executive experience across government and the public sector, with a strong track record of translating digital ambition into delivered outcomes and improved citizenfacing services. Keith’s current priorities include the strategic delivery of innovative digital casework systems, scaling AI, data analytics and process automation from pilots to impact, and enabling practical, trustworthy digital transformation at enterprise and system level.
3:10 PM – 4:30 PM
Community Justice & Rehabilitation
How technology can support better outcomes across the justice journey, from reducing delays and improving case management to helping people rebuild their lives after contact with the justice system.
Nigel Ironside, Head of Digital Services,
Scottish Prison Service
Nigel is Head of Digital Services at Scottish Prison Service and has held past roles as Head of Health and Justice; Governor, HMP Glenochil & Deputy Director Prisons.
Nigel’s objectives include the implementing digital transformation across the SPS to upskill frontline staff and include those in custody to embrace digital inclusion. Developing a new case management platform to support the custodial journey & Digital Ethics in Justice.
Interests outside of work include Cycling, Karate (2nd Dan Black Belt Shotokan), Rugby & Japanese Cooking.
Calum Campbell, Digital Social Work Policy and Practice Advisor,
Social Work Scotland
Calum Campbell is the Digital Social Work Policy and Practice Advisor at Social Work Scotland and a qualified social worker. He has worked across statutory and third sector settings and has been with Social Work Scotland since January 2020. Digital innovation has been a consistent focus throughout his career, and he is passionate about future-proofing social work to meet the needs of a digital society. Calum believes digital approaches have the potential to transform practice, improving accessibility, efficiency, and outcomes for the people and communities social work supports.
4:30 PM