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The Herald Scotland
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Are we going back to days when Glasgow was murder capital of Europe?
So, in relative terms, such crimes are far less common than they were in Scotland's past. That will, however, be cold comfort to the families of those who have been the victim of such terrible crimes. Read more As the spotlight falls, once again, on 'problematic youth' serious questions have been raised about how to deal with them. Immediate responses have inevitably turned to justice-based measures, such as increased use of police stop and search and harsher punishment for offenders to deter others. Other suggestions have included removing free bus passes and neighbourhood curfews. Evidence around the effectiveness of such measures is, however, severely lacking. Research has shown that focused stop and search activity in 'hot spot' areas can have short-term benefits, albeit the longer term effects are less certain and there is a risk of shifting the problem to other, neighbouring, areas. The evidence around using harsher punishments as a deterrent, quite frankly, doesn't stack up. While removing free bus passes and driving children off our streets will simply penalise the vast majority of young people who are law abiding and a credit to our society. There is no one universal explanation as to why Scotland experienced such a large fall in violence in recent decades. Some have placed the plaudits at the door of the police and, in particular, the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), which was established in 2005 to tackle the problem of knife crime and homicide. The VRU certainly changed the narrative around violence in Scotland, recognising that it was a 'public health' problem that needed to be addressed by tackling the root causes. Most research evidence shows, however, that better education, rather than policing, is the key to reducing violence, and there has also been a great deal of educational work in Scottish schools and communities by organisations such as No Knives Better Lives and Medics Against Violence. The Scottish Tories have called for the police to be given more stop and search powers (Image: free) More widely however, there has been a policy shift since the election of the SNP government in 2007, when the introduction of the Getting It Right for Every Child policy started to shift the language from 'problematic children' towards 'child wellbeing'. Since then, we have seen a whole raft of new policies aimed at improving children's outcomes, such as reducing child poverty, narrowing the education gap, earlier and more effective intervention, and reducing the reliance on justice responses to offending. As a consequence, the number of children entering the justice system is at a record low and we no longer send children to prison in Scotland. And yet, we cannot ignore the recent headlines nor minimise the significant impact of youth violence on those who fall victim to it. So, despite all the progress made, what has gone wrong? Recent research shows that, while great strides have been made, there are still many children who are exposed to a whole range of factors that increase their likelihood of engaging in violence and other crimes. Despite the Scottish Government's targets, persistent child poverty has not diminished. The cost of living crisis is affecting many low income households – especially those with children – creating strain and diminishing the capacity of parents to monitor their children's activities. Housing and homelessness are acute problems, and some communities are subject to significant churn and change which destabilise neighbourhoods and reduce the scope for self-governance. The education gap between those at the highest and lowest ends of the deprivation spectrum has not narrowed. Rates of mental health and neurodiversity diagnoses have increased, but levels of service provision cannot keep up. Negative social media influences run rampant in the lives of our young people, but 'safe spaces' in communities where they could be supported and mentored by people in the real world have been stripped away as a consequence of austerity. Lurking below all of this, is the spectre of serious and organised crime. Many children who carry weapons and get involved in serious violence are victims of exploitation at the hands of criminal gangs who use them to deal and transport drugs and other illicit items. Their youth and vulnerability make them perfect agents to do the dirty work of those who sit back and reap the rewards. Read more In some regards, it is not unusual to see such a spike in violence during periods of good weather when young people congregate on beaches and other beauty spots towards the end of the academic year. However, a cluster of very serious incidents, along with rising concern about anti-social behaviour in communities and schools, is a worrying trend. We should be reassured that Scotland has the structures and mechanisms in place to deal with such incidents in a sensitive, holistic, and trauma-informed way. However, whether it has the capacity and resource to do so is another matter. A policing response is inevitably required to dampen down the immediate issues and to tackle the scourge of serious and organised crime; however, as a society, we all have a part to play in making society safer. A collective response is needed from public and third sector organisations to ensure early and effective intervention amongst those whose behaviour is at risk of escalating into serious violence. The private sector could play a greater role in supporting and investing in our most deprived communities, and partner with local government in sponsoring the return of youth facilities and safe spaces for children and young people. And the general public should not tolerate or be bystanders to violence, ignoring or walking away when we could take steps to discourage, prevent or even, when safe to do so, intervene. Let us remember that the vast majority of children in Scotland are good, law-abiding citizens who contribute positively to society – with a holistic approach, we can surely turn the tide on the small minority who are causing serious harm, just as we did 20 years ago. Susan McVie is Professor of Quantitative Criminology, University of Edinburgh
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Heartbroken parents of teen stab victim Kory McCrimmon will lead peaceful walk in Glasgow in a bid to stop knife crime
They will also be remembering their beloved lad, a year on from his death JOIN US Heartbroken parents of teen stab victim Kory McCrimmon will lead peaceful walk in Glasgow in a bid to stop knife crime THE GRIEVING family of slain knife victim Kory McCrimmon said his death will not be 'in vain' as they plan a peaceful walk to highlight the dangers of knife crime. The 16-year-old's dad Neil, 57, and mum Elizabeth, 44, will lead the procession on June 8, at 1pm from Ibrox to Celtic Park, near their home in Barrowfield, Glasgow - and encouraged everyone to take part. 2 Kory McCrimmon died aged 16, after being stabbed in the heart by a 13-year-old thug 2 Kory's dad Neil and family have launched the Parents Against Knives, Save Our Kids campaign and wants everyone to join them in tackling knife crime Credit: - Commissioned by The Sun The couple, who have also launched a campaign entitled, Parents Against Knives, Save Our Kids, said: 'This peaceful walk is to continue highlighting the increase in deaths and danger by knife crime and if we can prevent at least one more family going through the inexpressible pain and life shattering grief of a lost child, Kory's death will not be in vain. 'We walk in Kory's name but we stand for all those lives lost to knife violence: too much, too many. No more. 'Come join us in our walk and lend your hearts and voices to making our streets, our young people and our lives safer. "Let's come together for once and all to make a difference that lasts and saves lives.' Read More Scottish News IN THE DOCK Boy in court charged with murder after teen 'stabbed to death' at Scots Beach Kory was stabbed in the heart after a confrontation in a Glasgow park last May. He sadly died two days later, in hospital. The court heard the victim and killer - who was just 13 at the time - had been associated with rival gangs in the area and swapped threats on social media. The killer, now 14, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, had initially been charged with murder but a guilty plea to the lesser crime of culpable homicide was accepted by the crown. He was sentenced to five years in a detention centre earlier this month. The Scottish Government's No Knives Better Lives campaign with national agency YouthLink Scotland has reached out to 120,000 kids about knife crime. Emotional moment balloons are released in memory of Kory McCrimmon Glasgow East MSP John Grady said: 'Kory's family are facing the loss of their son with immense courage. "Their work to highlight the issue is incredibly important.'
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Police union chief demands power "to save lives" after Kayden Moy beach death
David Kennedy, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, made the call in the wake of 16-year-old Kayden Moy's death at the weekend. Scotland's police union chief has demanded "more power to save lives" in the wake of Kayden Moy's tragic death. David Kennedy, General Secretary of the Police Federation, said the force urgently needs new and robust legislation to stop and search under 16s for blades. Kennedy said that although police work tirelessly across the country to keep youths safe, current stop and search powers"do not go far enough" to combat knife crime. "The tragic stabbing of a 16-year-old is yet another stark reminder of the growing threat of youth violence on our streets. "Police officers across Scotland are working tirelessly to keep the public safe, but we are operating with one hand tied behind our backs. Current stop and search powers do not go far enough to tackle the rise in young people carrying weapons. "It has become increasingly difficult for police to deal with under 16s due to laws that were introduced to protect children and young people but, in fact, it does the opposite because police are left with their hands tied. "We have to be able to conduct stop and searches and do that no matter what age they are. As it stands, you need to have reasonable cause to do so and that will be difficult to establish when it comes to youths. "Youths are getting away with a lot in terms of crime nowadays and we urgently require new, robust legislation that empowers officers to act decisively and prevent violence before it happens. "The law must evolve to reflect the reality our officers face every day. " Kennedy echoed the calls of Scotland's former justice secretary Kenny MacAskill who also called for stronger stop and search powers to tackle the issue of youth violence in Scotland. Speaking on Tuesday, MacAskill said: 'We need to get tough on the small minority of evil intent and support the majority to enjoy their childhoods and their youths. 'If that means bringing in more stop-and-searches, then so be it. 'Scotland has experienced violence like this before. Tragedies were happening and many lives were being ruined as a result of knife crime and youth violence. 'Through tough enforcement, harsh sentencing and targeting and diverting, we made society safer for young people. We need to go back to what we did because we turned the tide. The tide is coming back in and we need to address knife crime again.' Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'My heart goes out to the family and friends of Kayden Moy and to any family who has lost a child or loved one in such horrific circumstances. The events of the weekend are tragic. 'We are of course committed to tackling violence and have invested more than £6 million since 2023 in the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland to help divert people away from violence. This includes the work of YouthLink Scotland who deliver No Knives Better Lives and Medics Against Violence to help educate young people on the dangers of carrying knives. 'I fully recognise that it will be no comfort to any family who has been affected, but knife crime has fallen, with a 69% decrease in emergency hospital admissions due to assault with a sharp object between 2008-09 and 2023-24. 'In relation to stop and search, police officers have the power to carry out stop and search and this is an operational matter for Police Scotland.'
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Our son was stabbed to death at 16 – our hearts go out to Kayden Moy's parents
Kayden Moy lost his life at the weekend following the alleged incident at Irvine beach FAMILY'S PAIN Our son was stabbed to death at 16 – our hearts go out to Kayden Moy's parents Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE dad of stab death victim Kory McCrimmon said his heart goes out to the family of 16-year-old Kayden Moy. Neil, 57, said: 'Kory's mum and I were in bits reading the news, our hearts just go out to the family, we know exactly how they are feeling and it just brought loads of memories back.' Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Kory McCrimmon died following a fatal stabbing at Greenfield Park last June Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 6 Knife crime victim Kory McCrimmon's dad Neil said he heart goes out to Kayden Moy's family Credit: John Kirkby - Commissioned by The Sun 6 Kory was stabbed to death by a 13-year-old last year Credit: Refer to Caption 6 Kayden Moy died in hospital following an alleged incident on Irvine beach at the weekend Credit: Police Scotland Kory was stabbed in the heart after a confrontation in a Glasgow park last May and died two days later in hospital. The court heard the victim and killer - who was just 13 at the time - had been associated with rival gangs in the area and swapped threats on social media. The killer, now 14, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, had initially been charged with murder but a guilty plea to the lesser crime of culpable homicide was accepted by the crown. He was sentenced to five years in a detention centre earlier this month. Neil, of Barrowfield, Glasgow, who is next month planning a walk from Celtic Park to Ibrox to raise awareness for his Parents Against Knives, Save Our Kids campaign called on the government to take notice. He said: 'It's another teen death, within a year of our son's death. If this doesn't make the government sit up and listen, what will? 'The police need more players but the government has taken them away. 'Our youths need more protection. We need to save the young from the young.' Kory was the third youth in Glasgow from alleged knife incidents in the last four years. In 2021, Justin McLaughlin, 14, was stabbed in the heart by a gang rival on a train near the city's High Street station. Daniel Haig, who was 16 when he committed the murder, was jailed for at least 16 years. A court heard that Haig, of Shettleston, and Justin, of nearby Baillieston, were affiliated to rival east end gangs. In March, Amen Teklay, 16, died after being found seriously injured on a street in Glasgow's Maryhill. Police confirmed his death is being treated as 'murder' following a post-mortem examination and that three teens, aged 14, 15, and 16, had been charged in connection. All made no plea. The No Knives Better Lives campaign - which is a collaboration between the Scottish Government and YouthLink Scotland and has so far provided educational sessions to 120,000 young people - is also trying to tackle the issue. 6 Justin McLaughlin, 14, died after he was stabbed to death at Glasgow's High Street station Credit: Police Scotland
Scottish Sun
12-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Heartbroken parents of teen stab victim Kory McCrimmon urge Old Firm to back anti-knife campaign
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TEEN stab victim Kory McCrimmon's grieving parents have urged Rangers and Celtic to back their anti-blade crusade. Neil and Elizabeth McCrimmon reckon the Old Firm can help save lives by persuading gangs to ditch knives. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Kory McCrimmon's grieving parents have urged Rangers and Celtic to back their anti-blade campaign 4 Kory's dad Neil, at a memorial in Barrowfield estate playpark Credit: - Commissioned by The Sun 4 Kory was stabbed after a falling out over £50 Credit: Collect The couple issued the plea days after a 14-year-old thug was jailed for five years for killing Gers-mad Kory, 16, in a fallout over £50. They are to launch their Parents Against Knives Save Our Kids initiative with a march from Celtic Park to Ibrox Stadium on June 1. Neil, 57, from Barrowfield, Glasgow, said: 'It's imperative that we get the Old Firm involved. 'The kids carrying knives and also being stabbed are the same kids who aspire to play for these football teams. 'The Old Firm could hold the power in getting our message across to youngsters.' Easterhouse Football Academy starlet Kory was knifed through the heart by a gang member — who can't be named for legal reasons — after the pair swapped menacing threats online. The McCrimmmons called on rival footie fans to again unite like they did when shirts, scarves and flags were laid at a memorial following Kory's slaying in the city's Greenfield Park last May. They are being supported by Kory's brother Jamie, 23, and sister Holly, 11. Neil said: 'Kory was passionate about Rangers but was so lovely to Celtic fans. "When Kory died, Hoops supporters went to his memorial and put down their scarves. Emotional moment balloons are released in memory of Kory McCrimmon "They also chapped on our door saying they were sorry for our loss. 'We want to shout it from the rooftops and get it into these kids once and for all. We think this is the angle to really get them to listen.' The Scottish Government's No Knives Better Lives campaign with national agency YouthLink Scotland has reached out to 120,000 kids about knife crime. Glasgow East MSP John Grady said: 'Kory's family are facing the loss of their son with immense courage. "Their work to highlight the issue is incredibly important.'
