Latest news with #Kory
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
Kory McCrimmon's family meet John Swinney to discuss efforts tackling youth knife crime
"The main purpose of this meeting was to do everything possible so that Kory's death was not in vain." The First Minister has met with the family of a teenager killed by a gang rival in Glasgow to discuss youth knife crime in Scotland. John Swinney promised Kory McCrimmon's family a follow-up meeting to discuss ways to solve youth knife crime in Scotland. The 16-year-old was stabbed in the heart at Greenfield Park in the city's east end in May last year following a feud with a member of a rival gang. The High Court in Glasgow heard that the pair had fallen out over £50 which led to an argument and threads over social media. The youth was convicted of culpable homicide and was sentenced to five years' detention in May. Kory's death was followed by two further knife tragedies just less than 12 months later. Amen Teklay, 15, died after he was found seriously injured on a street in Glasgow's Maryhill on March 5. Three teenage boys, aged 14, 15, and 16, were arrested and charged in connection. Just weeks later, 16-year-old Kayden Moy died following a disturbance at Irvine Beach in Ayrshire on May 17. Two boys, aged 16 and 17, have since appeared in court charged with his murder. All three tragedies have taken place amid the Record's Our Kids ... Our Future campaign, which has repeatedly called on the Scottish Government to invest in children to keep them safe from harm. Our Kids ... Our Future was launched over two years ago in response to a youth violence epidemic. On Wednesday, the First Minister and Justice Secretary Angela Constance met with the teenager's family to discuss youth knife crime. The McCrimmon family called for the meeting to ask the First Minister what could be done to tackle the issue of knife crime, especially amongst young people, and what preventative measures could be put in place. It was requested by the McCrimmon family after they organised a ' Parents Against Knives ' march in Glasgow last month. Around 200 people turned up for the event, which left from outside Rangers' Ibrox Stadium and ended at Celtic's home ground, Celtic Park. During the meeting, the First Minister promised the family, who were joined by Victim Support Scotland, a follow-up meeting to look into the potential solutions in more detail. The family said in a statement: 'The main purpose of this meeting was to do everything possible so that Kory's death was not in vain. 'We really appreciated the chance to meet with the First Minister and Justice Secretary yesterday to talk about their plans to tackle youth knife crime. 'They really listened to our concerns and ideas, and the First Minister suggested having another meeting soon to look at possible solutions in more detail. 'We will hold the First Minister to this promise and to hearing in more detail about what the Scottish Government plans to do to stop more needless deaths caused by knife crime. 'Lasting positive change is our goal.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, added: 'We welcome the First Minister's commitment to a follow-up meeting with the McCrimmon family. 'This will be vital for solidifying the Scottish Government's commitment to addressing knife crime, especially amongst young people. 'The McCrimmon family took the opportunity yesterday to question the First Minister and Justice Secretary about this issue and what they are doing to stop more preventable deaths. 'We look forward to a swift response from the First Minister in regards to a follow-up meeting with the family. 'It is crucial that action focuses on a joined-up approach to preventing young people from being involved with this type of crime in the first place. 'Everyone has a right to feel safe in their communities. We will continue to advocate on the McCrimmon family's behalf, and on behalf of everyone impacted by knife crime in Scotland.'
Glasgow Times
22-07-2025
- Glasgow Times
Family of murdered teen in Glasgow meet FM to tackle youth knife crime
Kory McCrimmon died after he was stabbed following a confrontation in Greenfield Park in Glasgow's East End on May 31 last year. First Minister, John Swinney, and Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Angela Constance, will meet with Kory's family this Wednesday, July 23. The meeting was requested by the McCrimmon family as a chance to talk about what can be done to tackle the issue of knife crime, especially amongst young people, and what preventative measures can be put in place. This follows the family organising a 'Parents Against Knives' walk in Glasgow last month. Family of murdered teen in Glasgow meet to tackle youth knife crime (Image: Robert Perry) READ MORE: 'Parents Against Knives' march takes place through Glasgow To commemorate the first anniversary of the 16-year-old's death, his loved ones planned a peaceful walk, which took place on Sunday, June 22. Speaking ahead of the event, Kory's big brother Jamie told crowds that his sibling's absence is a 'senseless burden that his family have to carry for the rest of their lives'. About 200 people turned out for the walk, which left from outside Rangers' Ibrox Stadium and ended at Celtic's home ground, [[Celtic]] Park. They joined Kory's parents, Neil and Elizabeth McCrimmon, and his brother as they braved the pouring rain. We previously reported that a 14-year-old boy who admitted killing Kory following a dispute over £50 was sentenced to five years' detention. Kory McCrimmon (Image: Police Scotland) READ MORE: Boy, 14, who admitted killing Kory McCrimmon in Glasgow sentenced After the sentencing, The Scottish Sun reported how Kory's parents, Neil and Elizabeth, hit out over the lack of justice they felt. Speaking with the newspaper, Neil, 57, said: 'Five years for taking our son's life? It's disgusting. What message does this give to all the young lads running crazy, carrying knives around Glasgow and surrounding areas? 'They'll just think they can do whatever they want.' Heartbroken mum Elizabeth, 44, also slammed the 'mind-boggling' punishment. She said: 'He'll probably be out before he's 18. It's a joke. I'm fuming.' Elizabeth McCrimmon, the mother of Kory, at Ibrox stadium in Glasgow before people take part in a Parents Against Knives walk from the Ibrox stadium to Parkhead in Glasgow. (Image: Robert Perry) READ MORE: Parents of Kory McCrimmon 'fuming' over killer's sentence Victim Support Scotland Chief Executive Kate Wallace. (Image: Julie Broadfoot) Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, commented: "Knife crime continues to devastate too many lives across Scotland. "Behind every statistic lies a painful reality — countless individuals, families, friends, classmates, and entire communities are left to deal with the lasting and often tragic impact. "The McCrimmon family is calling for a thoughtful and coordinated response to address the issue of knife crime and prevent it from happening in the first place. "Joint action is needed across the board - from Scottish Government, police, social workers, youth services, victim support organisations – with agencies working together to confront the root causes of knife crime. 'We look forward to hearing the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary's responses to the family's questions and urge them to carefully listen to their concerns and suggestions that may help prevent more lives being senselessly lost. "Our Support for Families Bereaved by Crime team sees first-hand the lasting trauma caused by knife crime on the families and loved ones left behind. "If you or someone you know has been affected by knife crime, or any other type of crime, please know that help is available. "Reach out to us through our helpline or visit our website to find out how we can support you."
Daily Record
22-07-2025
- Daily Record
Tragic Kory McCrimmon's family to meet John Swinney to tackle youth knife crime
Kory, 16, died after he was fatally stabbed at Greenfield Park in the east end of Glasgow on May 31 last year. John Swinney and his Justice Secretary are to meet with the parents of Kory McCrimmon to discuss youth knife crime in Scotland. Kory, 16, died after he was fatally stabbed at Greenfield Park in the east end of Glasgow on May 31 last year. His killer - who was 13 at the time and cannot be named due to his age - plunged a knife through Kory's heart after a confrontation over £50. The youth was convicted of culpable homicide and was sentenced to five years' detention in May. The meeting between the First Minister, Justice Secretary Angela Constance and Kory's family will take place tomorrow. Kate Wallace, the chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said joint action was needed from the authorities involved to tackle the problem. She said: 'Knife crime continues to devastate too many lives across Scotland. 'Behind every statistic lies a painful reality – countless individuals, families, friends, classmates, and entire communities are left to deal with the lasting and often tragic impact. 'The McCrimmon family is calling for a thoughtful and co-ordinated response to address the issue of knife crime and prevent it from happening in the first place. 'Joint action is needed across the board – from Scottish Government, police, social workers, youth services, victim support organisations – with agencies working together to confront the root causes of knife crime.'
STV News
26-06-2025
- STV News
Councillors agree public health response to youth violence
The deaths of three teenagers in Glasgow as a result of knife crime have been described as 'a warning sign' by Glasgow's council leader, as councillors agreed to look at what can be done to tackle the problem. The city leader brought the issue before councillors during Thursday's full council meeting after a large-scale march through Glasgow was held by the parents of Kory McCrimmon to raise awareness of an 'epidemic' of knife crime in the country. Councillors paid tribute to Kory, 16, who was found seriously injured in Greenfield Park in the east end of Glasgow on May 31, 2024. A 14-year-old was later sentenced to five years' detention over the death of Kory. His family have since campaigned to tackle knife crime on Scotland's streets. Council leader Susan Aitken said his death, and the recent deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay and Kayden Moy, showed there was a growing problem with youth violence in Scotland. During the meeting, Cllr Aitken said that the loss of young lives should be something that is never taken for granted and taken as a warning sign. She said: 'We should take the opportunity to ask what we do collectively that matches the necessity of the moment and whether it is enough. 'Today's generation, who are at school or are leaving school, have already experienced constraints, and that is just one of the complex range of stress factors that we are dealing with. 'Let's not forget that our city centre, our streets and our communities belong to our young people. 'If some of our young people are being drawn into violence by anti-social behaviour that negatively affects them and the wider public, then that's a problem and we need to address it. 'If other young folk are so fearful of being affected by violence that they themselves need to carry blades, that's a cycle we need to break.' Councillors agreed that Glasgow's families needed to be part of the solution, as the events in recent months have caused concerns about safety. SNP councillor Laura Doherty said: 'We must take a balanced view. While recent events have rightly drawn attention, the broader picture is more complex. 'This isn't about labelling a generation, it's about recognising that a small number of our young people are facing challenges and early, thoughtful intervention is essential. 'The truth is, today young people are growing up in a very different world. One person's social media can distort values, peer pressure can be seen and accepted as constant and negative influences are just a few clicks away. 'The pandemic causes disruption to learning, social development and mental well-being. We are now seeing some of the long-term effects of that destruction.' In her motion, Cllr Aitken said there was 'deep concern about recent incidents of violence involving young people in Glasgow' and that it was 'enormously worrying for our communities.' And while she stressed it had not yet reached the levels of violence that plagued the city 20 years ago and led to the creation of the Violence Reduction Unit, lessons learned at that time about different agencies working together remained important today. A composite motion, agreed by the SNP, Greens and Labour, welcomed the activism of community groups, such as Parents Against Knives, led by the parents of Kory and highlighted that disadvantages such as poverty, exclusion and racism are contributing risk factors in violence. They agreed this must be addressed through trauma-informed and anti-poverty strategies and that a public health-based response to violence affecting young people was needed. Labour councillor Kevin Lalley said: 'The horrors of knife violence are a truly heartbreaking event, an event that affects many citizens across their communities. 'Many young people have a future to look forward t,o but with the recent violence,e these [children] have no future. 'This is an opportunity for all of us here to think about recent events and reach out to our communities to help the younger generations, look for the child that sits alone, look for the child that looks sad, look for the child that doesn't turn up to activities. 'These are the disengaged children, the ones who slip through the system, the ones we miss. Let's commit today to help our communities to provide safety as a given, not an ask. 'We must all get involved to ensure tragedies that affect many families can be averted.' Amen Teklay, 15, died after being found seriously injured in the St George's Cross area of the city on March 5. The bright schoolboy, originally from Eritrea, had been living in Glasgow with his father for a number of years and had recently received 'right to remain' status in the UK. Three teenagers, aged 14, 15 and 16, have appeared at Glasgow Sheriff court charged in connection with Amen's death. Two are charged with murder, whilst the 15-year-old is facing an assault charge. All have made no plea, and the 14-year-old and 16-year-old have been remanded in custody. Kayden Moy, 16, was found seriously injured on Irvine beach in North Ayrshire on May 17 this year and later died at Crosshouse Hospital. His death sparked calls for more action to be taken locally on knife crime, with a petition in East Kilbride being signed by over 1500 people. Three teenagers have been arrested following Kayden's death. Two 17-year-olds and a 14-year-old have appeared in court charged with murder. The council will now instruct the chief executive to explore how all young people can be meaningfully involved in shaping the direction of local strategies and services to stop the violence. Summing up, councillor Aitken said: 'I think it is fair to say we do have a shared determination across this chamber to act and use all the knowledge and experience and convene in a way that responds to the moment and that we intervene to ensure no more lives are lost. 'We must make sure the opportunities are there for young people to choose the future that they want and where they are going with their lives that is positive.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Daily Record
Glasgow council hold emergency meeting on youth violence amid deaths of three teens
City leader Susan Aitken said the recent deaths of teenagers showed there was a growing problem with youth violence in Scotland. Glasgow's council leader has described the tragic deaths of three teenagers due to knife crime as 'a warning sign' in an emergency meeting on youth violence. The issue was brought before the full council after a powerful march on Sunday by the family of Kory McCrimmon, 16, who died after being attacked with a blade in Greenfield Park on May 31. His grieving parents, leading the Parents Against Knives campaign, told the country "enough is enough" and demanded action from leaders in Holyrood. City leader Susan Aitken said his death, and the recent deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay and Kayden Moy showed there was a growing problem with youth violence in Scotland. She said: 'We should take the opportunity to ask what we do collectively that matches the necessity of the moment and whether it is enough. 'Lets not forget that our city centre, our streets and our communities belong to our young people. 'If some of our young people are being drawn into violence by anti-social behaviou r that negatively affects them and the wider public then that's a problem and we need to address it. 'If other young folk are so fearful of being affected by violence that they themselves need to carry blades, that's a cycle we need to break.' Scotland has been rocked by three blade tragedies in less than 12 months. Amen, an Eritrean refugee, was found seriously injured in Maryhill on March 5. Kayden died after an incident at Irvine Beach on May 17. Teen boys have been charged in connection with both deaths. Just last month, a 14-year-old boy was sentenced to five years for the culpable homicide of Kory. The tragedies have taken place amid the Record's Our Kids ... Our Future campaign, which was launched two years ago in response to a youth violence epidemic. Councillors on Thursday backed a motion to urgently explore new solutions stressing that families must be part of the response amid growing safety concerns. SNP councillor Laura Doherty warned: "We must take a balanced view. While recent events have rightly drawn attention, the broader picture is more complex. "The truth is today young people are growing up in a very different world. "The pandemic causes disruption to learning, social development and mental well-being. We are now seeing some of the long term effects of that destruction.' Kory's aunt Jackie said Sunday's march sent a clear message: 'We've had enough. We need to see change now.' The family are calling for a meeting with John Swinney and Justice Scretary Angela Constance. Labour councillor Kevin Lalley added: "Many young people have a future to look forward to but with the recent violence these [children] have no future. We must all get involved to ensure tragedies that affect many families can be averted.' The council instructed the chief executive to involve young people in shaping new anti-violence strategies. The Record's Our kids... Our Future campaign was launched in February 2023 after we highlighted a worrying trend of violence amongst teens. Our campaign has called on the Scottish Government to invest in youth clubs and other ways to help young people. The Scottish Government recently announced an £82,000 boost for the Violence Reduction Unit, following pressure from campaigners. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
