Inaction on Knives is ‘Not an Option’ says Wendy as Knife Murders Soar

A record 58% of murders were committed using knives in 2008/09
Proportion of knife murders hits 20 year high

Wendy Alexander MSP has called on the Scottish Government to back Labour’s tough proposals to introduce mandatory minimum custodial sentences for carrying a knife.

The call comes as new statistics show a record 58% of murders in 2008/09 were committed using a ’sharp instrument’. The figure marks the highest proportion of killings in over 20 years.

Research published  recently also highlighted that there are higher levels of violent crime in Scotland than in England and Wales.

Official figures show that the majority (71%) of those found guilty of carrying an offensive weapon currently do not serve a custodial sentence.

Wendy Alexander said:

“Knife murders hit a 20 year high last year, accounting for a record 58 per cent of killings. These figures show that the SNP position to do nothing on knife crime is not an option. It needs to be made clear to criminals that if you carry a knife you will go to jail.

“It’s high time Mr MacAskill woke up to the grave toll knife crime is taking on communities across Scotland and backed Labour’s tough plans for mandatory minimum sentences.

“People in Scotland have had enough of  excuses and inaction on knives. That’s why 30,000 Scots signed Labour’s ‘Carry A Knife, Go To Jail’ petition.

“The SNP refuse to do anything about knife crime and yet we find that 70 per cent of knife criminals currently do not receive a custodial sentence and of those that do – two thirds would avoid jail entirely under the SNP’s plans to scrap six month sentences.”

Source:

Scottish Government http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/02/19113939/5

For figures between 1996/96 to 2004/05 see http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/13133031/30361