Crack down on knife carriers this New Year – Brown (North Tayside Liberal Democrats)

North Tayside Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

Crack down on knife carriers this New Year – Brown

December 22, 2008 11:25 AM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Robert Brown MSP, Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson, has warned that New Year celebrations could be soured if the knife crime continues to escalate in Scotland this year.

Thousands of Scots and tourists are expected to flock to Hogmanay parties across Scotland, including Edinburgh's famous Hogmanay celebrations.

This year, 55 people were killed with a sharp instrument in 2007/08, almost half of all homicides in Scotland.

Commenting, Mr Brown said:

"Carrying knives is always stupid and should normally lead to a prison sentence for those caught with weapons. But blades and Buckfast - or any excess of alcohol - are a dangerous combination. This year alone there have been 55 fatal stabbings in Scotland.

"I don't want to begin 2009 the way 2008 is ending, with knife crime soaring and the A & E Departments full of unnecessary victims.

"The type of high profile policing that we see on Hogmanay should not be the exception to the rule. We need more police on our streets, not sitting in an office making up the numbers.

"They need to protect the vast majority who simply want to enjoy an evening out, be it on Hogmanay or any night of the year.

"But keeping party-goers safe isn't just a job for the police. It's up to all of us to act responsibly, to drink responsibly and to tell the police if there are people with knives. There's nothing "cool" about carrying knives or weapons - which can lead to a grim toll of injury and death.

"Let's bring in 2009 in the sprit which we mean to go on."