THEY were a key part of some of the most notorious criminal trials in Scotland in the 20th century.

But for years they have been gathering dust in separate storerooms.

Now attempts are being made to reunite the dock and witness box which stood in the imposing North Court of Glasgow High Court between 1910 and 1992.

The dock was where some of Scotland's most infamous murderers sat awaiting to hear their fate.

They included Peter Manuel, who was executed in Barlinnie Prison in 1958, after being found guilty of slaying seven people.

Glasgow gangster Jimmy Boyle, who was described as the most violent man in Scotland, also spent time in the dock in 1967.

He was the first high-profile accused convicted of murder after the abolition of the death penalty.

The witness box and dock were removed from the High Court when the building was renovated.

The dock landed up in a Glasgow City Council store, where it remains to this day, and Glasgow Courts donated the witness box to the former Monklands District Council, which put it on display at Summerlee Museum in Coatbridge.

Since the museum's revamp, however, it is no longer on display.

And now attempts are being made to reunite two important parts of Scotland's legal history.

North Lanarkshire Council industrial history curator Justin Parkes said: "The witness box in the old North Court was used in some of the most notorious cases of the last century.

"It is very rare for us to part with any objects, but since the witness box is in storage and has no direct connection with North Lanarkshire we think it's the right time to pass it on."

Preliminary talks have taken place with Culture and Sport Glasgow (CSG) which runs the city's museums.

Mr Parkes said: "Our discussions are at a very early stage and since Glasgow already has the matching piece, it makes sense to offer it to them first.

"This will hopefully allow the object to go somewhere more relevant and will allow us to better use our limited storage space to care for our core collection."

A CSG spokesman said: "We have had some discussions about the witness stand and they are continuing.

"A decision on whether we can take this sizeable piece of Glasgow history into the collection depends on being able to store it and display it properly."