[1] The High Court of Justiciary established the Moorov doctrine[2] in its judgment, which is predominantly used in criminal prosecutions involving allegations of rape and sexual abuse.

[1][3][4][5][6] The doctrine states that the prosecution of two or more separate offences, each witnessed by only one person, can be grouped together to evidence the accused's pattern of behaviour to the court and the jury.

[7] For anyone to be convicted, Scots criminal law uniquely requires corroboration, that is, all crucial facts must be supported by at least two independent sources of evidence.

[9][10] The court reasoned that Moorov had shown a certain course of conduct, which was sufficient to be used to corroborate his repeated, similar offences over the course of a short period.

The doctrine applies only if the two crimes are connected in time, character, and circumstance so that they may be considered to be part of a single course of conduct.

In 1951, Lord Carmont used the doctrine in a case where the accused had allegedly committed several distinct assaults with a shaving razors.