Deborah O'Brien Demick has been appointed HM Chief Inspector of Prosecution.
Deborah joined the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) as a trainee in 1999 and has worked in courts across Scotland.
She is highly experienced in the preparation and prosecution of cases and conduct of Fatal Accident Inquiries. She delivered the first successful application under the Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act 2011, which paved the way and culminated in the re-trial and conviction of Angus Sinclair for the 1977 murders of Christine Eadie and Helen Scott.
Deborah has held a number of senior roles across COPFS, most recently as Deputy Head of National Homicide Team and Road Traffic Fatalities Investigation Unit where she was responsible for senior leadership of investigations, and the development of strategies to deliver service improvements.
She delivered an in-depth review of Child Deaths and Non–Accidental Injuries in Children, published in 2024, which established a framework for COPFS and partners to support bereaved families and address the reduction of preventable deaths.
She has also contributed to the Scottish Government Domestic Homicide Review Taskforce working with partners to develop work to review such deaths.
Deborah holds an Honours Degree in Scots Law from the University of Dundee and postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Strathclyde.
Deborah took up post on 14 July 2025.