Honorary sheriffs installed at Elgin Sheriff Court
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TWO honorary sheriffs have been officially installed at Elgin Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Principal for Grampian and the Highlands and Islands Derek Pyle was on hand to swear in John Lindsay Knight and David Adams at a ceremony yesterday.
Mr Knight, who worked as a chemistry teacher at Buckie High School for 38 years, has been a justice of the peace for nearly two decades in Elgin.
Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Knight said it was a "huge honour" to be appointed.
He said: "I was a little surprised to be asked to become an honorary sheriff but of course it's a huge honour.
"I've been a justice of the peace since 2004 so I suppose over time I've become known and that's why I've been approached.
"It was a great day. I've had some of my colleagues here and my family as well.
"It was obviously a bit nerve-racking with all these people in front of you and you have to stand up and go through the whole thing yourself.
"I was thinking, I do that for other people so I'm basically doing what I ask them to do."
Mr Adams has worked as a solicitor at Cockburns in Elgin for 25 years after moving to the area in 1998.
Now a partner at the firm, Mr Adams was delighted to celebrate his appointment in the company of family, friends and colleagues.
"It wasn't something I was expecting at all to be honest," he said. "I'm pleasantly surprised though.
"I had my family here which was really nice so overall it's been a great day.
"A big thing for me was getting back in the court building again as well.
"The scenario from lockdown is that while criminal courts are still operating in the buildings, the civil courts, which I have mostly been dealing with, have almost all been online.
"It's not the same so coming down here and meeting everybody has been much much better."
Honorary sheriffs are appointed by the sheriff principal and act as unpaid public servants, helping out as required.
