Sheriff bids fond farewell to court and town

It has been just over a month since Sheriff Colm Dempsey departed Dumfries but before he left he sat down with chief reporter Euan Maxwell to discuss his time in the town. SHERIFF Colm Dempsey may be departing Dumfries but he’ll always consider himself an “adopted Doonhamer”. The towering sheriff has been posted in the town for the last six-and-a-half years and describes it as an honour to have served the region. Sheriff Dempsey – a keen Hearts fan – said: “This was my first post as a sheriff in an area that I didn’t know well. “I have loved my time here, it’s a beautiful part of the world and a place that I will return to. “I’m very sad to be leaving but what it gave me was the opportunity to see Dumfries and Galloway, which is an utterly beautiful part of the world and somewhere that has a real part in my heart now. “I’ve met fantastic people and have been able to do some fantastic things whilst here. “I was always treated very well here. It was a privilege to be welcomed here and serve the people of Dumfries and Galloway. “One of the biggest positive factors has been the community, I love that I’ve never had any problems when I’ve been out in the town for lunch - maybe the wig is a good disguise, but the people of Dumfries have been so friendly. “I live in the town and I really consider myself to be an adopted Doonhamer. As an outsider it’s been a real privilege to be welcomed into the community.” When Sheriff Dempsey – who is a former rugby player and a keen gym goer – arrived in Dumfries, he was the youngest sheriff in the country. Since then he has ruled over hundreds of cases during his spell and has always tried to see the positives of the people in the dock. He added: “I was the youngest sheriff when I was appointed here. “I suppose that’s a positive thing because of some of the youngsters I was dealing with in court and trying to assist them. “I might have related more to them rather than someone who is perhaps 20 years older. I try to make differences in people’s lives. “I think sometimes a lot of people unfortunately don’t have people who believe in them and can see they’ve got potential. “They can realise that potential sometimes, it just takes someone to tell them that and often try to encourage them, to give them something to aim for and a goal. “I’m a real believer in rehabilitation. Sometimes people just need someone to believe in them.” Sheriff Dempsey has decided to return to Edinburgh after an opportunity arose back home. But he wants to put on record his thanks to the hard-working team around him, adding: “There’s a huge amount of work goes on in the background. This is a busy court and a lot time is spent reading, studying. Ultimately it’s my colleagues who make the whole thing work. “Without them it wouldn’t work. They are seamless in what they do behind the scenes, it makes my job so much easier. “A huge amount of work and effort gets put into every case, there’s a lot of information to gather and process. It’s the unseen stuff that’s the most important, preparation is massively key. “I just make the decisions, that’s my part. I’ll never forget how fortunate I was to have the team at Dumfries.” On his departure decision, he said: “There was an opening back home in Edinburgh and with two little ones – who were born in Dumfries – the family support up the road will be helpful. “When the opportunity arose, I thought it was the right time to go. “That fortune is tinged with sadness though as I’ve loved every minute here.”