WENDY SAYS TOO MANY KNIFE CRIMINALS DODGE JAIL

- Wendy reasserts her call for mandatory sentences for knife crime -

70% of criminals convicted for handling an offensive weapon in 2007/08 in Strathclyde did not get sent to jail. Wendy has stepped up her knife crime campaign by releasing shocking figures which show how many criminals caught with an offensive weapon are given a community sentence or fine, rather than a jail sentence. New official government figures show that in Strathclyde only 30% of all those convicted for handling a weapon actually went to jail, 32% were sentenced to serve a community sentence and 26% had to pay a fine.

Wendy said:

“I believe if you carry a knife you should go to jail – it’s that simple.”

“Knives are lethal weapons and it’s completely unacceptable to walk the streets with one. It’s about time the law toughened up on those who think it is acceptable to carry a blade.”

“The SNP Government is sending out the wrong message. I have already demanded that the SNP Government introduce mandatory sentences for knife crime and I will demand it again and again until it is introduced. This is the only way we can make the streets of Renfrewshire a safer place for everyone. The current system of sentencing is not working and until it is fixed peoples’ lives are at risk.

“The message that must be sent is simple, ‘carry a knife and go to jail.’”

Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, Richard Baker MSP added:

“Knife crime claims far too many lives in Scotland. That is why Scottish Labour doubled the maximum sentence and now wants to go further still with the introduction of a minimum sentence.”

“Kenny MacAskill has dithered over the Licensing Scheme and is alarmingly complacent over sentencing. The SNP are soft on knife crime and it is time that the public were listened to.”

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