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Scotsman
2 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
Edinburgh schoolboy, 10, caught carrying knife and 12-year-olds found with blades
Police officers catch a child carrying a knife every four days in Scotland using stop-and-search powers, according to new analysis by 1919. Sign up to the daily Crime UK newsletter. All the latest crime news and trials from across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Official Police Scotland statistics show there were 91 instances of under-18s being found in possession of a bladed or pointed weapon in 2024 – among them a 10-year-old Edinburgh school boy. The latest figures, which come in the wake of several reports of knife incidents in Edinburgh involving youths, showed that teenagers now account for almost a third of positive knife searches across all age groups, sparking calls for the introduction of more 'meaningful' punishments. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Last month, there was an alleged stabbing of a 17-year-old boy at Portobello Beach following reports of a large-scale disturbance. On May 19, a 16-year-old boy appeared in court charged with attempted murder in connection with the incident. Now, justice and home affairs magazine 1919 has taken a deeper dive into the stop and search statistics to highligh several instances where youth children were discovered carrying weapons. In July 2024, for example, a 10-year-old boy was caught with a knife in the east of Edinburgh, while several 12-year-olds were found carrying blades in the Capital, Ayrshire, Glasgow and Lanarkshire throughout the year. More than a dozen children aged 13, two of them girls, were also subjected to a positive blade search. Scottish Labour's justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill described the figures as 'shocking' and is calling for more early intervention schemes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She said: 'These shocking figures are yet another sign that there is a youth violence epidemic emerging in Scotland. 'The SNP has created a perfect storm by cutting youth work services, letting police officer numbers fall, and mismanaging child and adolescent mental health services and education. 'Each one of these 91 cases is very serious for our communities and potentially for those actually carrying the weapon. The only way to tackle this effectively is to have early intervention schemes that get to the root cause, and without this we will fail our communities. 'The SNP must take urgent action in all of these areas to tackle knife crime and actually do something that will halt this epidemic.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Scottish Conservatives said 'soft-touch' sentencing policies which lessen the punishment for under 25s are 'emboldening' young people to carry weapons. 'These alarming figures lay bare just how drastically knife crime has spiralled out of control,' said MSP Sharon Dowey, the party's community safety spokesperson. 'There must be meaningful punishments for those who use a knife, and expanded stop-and-search powers for police to act as a deterrent.' David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, which funds the company behind 1919 magazine, wants to see more effective preventative strategies. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'Each one of the truly shocking statistics is a justifiable and evidenced-based reaction by the police to an increasingly concerning societal trend we now see emerging among younger members of our communities in Scotland. 'Each of these statistics is a real situation which created significant risk for my colleagues, as well as potentially life changing consequences for the perpetrator, and sadly – as we have seen so tragically across Scotland recently – the victims of knife crime, their families and friends. 'The solution to this problem cannot rest alone with the police; much greater and more effective preventative strategies have to be in place across Scotland.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Edinburgh child, 10, caught with knife as "truly shocking" stats show primary kids carry blades
Edinburgh Police caught a 10-year-old child carrying a knife in the city as new, "truly shocking" figures revealed that dozens of children have been found with blades across Scotland this year- including primary school pupils. Police Scotland confiscated knives from at least 91 people who were under the age of 18 in 2024 through stop-and-search powers, which adds up to one child caught with a weapon every four days, reports The Daily Record. The release of these shocking statistics comes just weeks after the death of schoolboy, Kayden Moy, the third teen to lose his life to youth violence in the last year. READ MORE: Family airlifted to Edinburgh hospital after baby struggles to breathe READ MORE: Edinburgh locals 'really bugged' by 'glaring mistake' on hit Netflix series Numerous incidents involving kids as young as 12 caught with knives occurred in Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Glasgow and Lanarkshire, according to an analysis by justice magazine 1919. Over a dozen 13-year-olds - including two girls - underwent blade searches that came back positive. Now, teens account for almost a third of positive knife searches across all age groups. The disturbing incidents prompted warnings of a 'youth violence epidemic' which has been repeatedly highlighted by the Record's Our Kids... Our Future campaign, launched two years ago after we reported a worrying series of attacks on teens across the country. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox The Scottish Government is now under intensified pressure onto act after several high-profile cases. Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: 'These shocking figures are yet another sign that there is a youth violence epidemic emerging in Scotland. "The SNP has created a perfect storm by cutting youth work services, letting police numbers fall, and mismanaging mental health and education. "Every one of these 91 cases is very serious for our communities and potentially for those actually carrying the weapon. "The only way to tackle this effectively is to have early intervention schemes that get to the root cause." The Scottish Conservatives blamed 'soft-touch' sentencing for under-25s, claiming it has emboldened young offenders. Sharon Dowey MSP said: 'Knife crime has spiralled out of control. There must be meaningful punishments for those who use a knife and expanded stop-and-search powers for police to act as a deterrent. "The SNP's soft-touch attitude towards justice represents an abject dereliction of duty by John Swinney's government." Scottish Police Federation chair, David Threadgold, added: "This is a concerning societal trend we now see emerging among younger members of our communities in Scotland," he said. 'Each of these statistics is a real situation which created significant risk for my colleagues, as well as potentially life changing consequences for the perpetrator, and sadly, the victims of knife crime, their families and friends. 'The solution to this problem cannot rest alone with the police; much greater and more effective preventative strategies have to be in place." First Minister John Swinney recently said the Government's strategy would focus on three steps – educating young people on the dangers of knives, police searches of people who they think may be carrying a knife and punishment of those caught with weapons. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Stop and search powers should be used where lawful, necessary and proportionate. Their use in individual cases is an operational matter for Police Scotland. 'Police do use stop and search, and it is one tool to tackle violence alongside a range of other measures such as prevention and education.' Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
‘Truly shocking': Dozens of teens found with knives
In 2024, Scottish police found 91 people aged 18 and under in possession of a bladed weapon, including a 10-year-old. More than a dozen children aged 13 – including two girls – were found to have such items when searched. The statistics, analysed by 1919 magazine, indicate that teenagers accounted for almost a third of positive knife searches across all age groups in Scotland. The Scottish Police Federation's chairman, David Threadgold, expressed concern over an emerging societal trend among younger people, saying the statistics are 'truly shocking'. Scottish Labour 's justice spokesperson, Pauline McNeill, described the figures as a sign of a 'youth violence epidemic' and called for early intervention schemes to address the root causes.
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh child, 10, caught with knife as "truly shocking" stats show primary kids carry blades
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Edinburgh Police caught a 10-year-old child carrying a knife in the city as new, "truly shocking" figures revealed that dozens of children have been found with blades across Scotland this year- including primary school pupils. Police Scotland confiscated knives from at least 91 people who were under the age of 18 in 2024 through stop-and-search powers, which adds up to one child caught with a weapon every four days, reports The Daily Record. The release of these shocking statistics comes just weeks after the death of schoolboy, Kayden Moy, the third teen to lose his life to youth violence in the last year. Numerous incidents involving kids as young as 12 caught with knives occurred in Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Glasgow and Lanarkshire, according to an analysis by justice magazine 1919. Over a dozen 13-year-olds - including two girls - underwent blade searches that came back positive. Now, teens account for almost a third of positive knife searches across all age groups. The disturbing incidents prompted warnings of a 'youth violence epidemic' which has been repeatedly highlighted by the Record's Our Kids... Our Future campaign, launched two years ago after we reported a worrying series of attacks on teens across the country. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox The Scottish Government is now under intensified pressure onto act after several high-profile cases. Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: 'These shocking figures are yet another sign that there is a youth violence epidemic emerging in Scotland. "The SNP has created a perfect storm by cutting youth work services, letting police numbers fall, and mismanaging mental health and education. "Every one of these 91 cases is very serious for our communities and potentially for those actually carrying the weapon. "The only way to tackle this effectively is to have early intervention schemes that get to the root cause." The Scottish Conservatives blamed 'soft-touch' sentencing for under-25s, claiming it has emboldened young offenders. Sharon Dowey MSP said: 'Knife crime has spiralled out of control. There must be meaningful punishments for those who use a knife and expanded stop-and-search powers for police to act as a deterrent. "The SNP's soft-touch attitude towards justice represents an abject dereliction of duty by John Swinney's government." Scottish Police Federation chair, David Threadgold, added: "This is a concerning societal trend we now see emerging among younger members of our communities in Scotland," he said. 'Each of these statistics is a real situation which created significant risk for my colleagues, as well as potentially life changing consequences for the perpetrator, and sadly, the victims of knife crime, their families and friends. 'The solution to this problem cannot rest alone with the police; much greater and more effective preventative strategies have to be in place." First Minister John Swinney recently said the Government's strategy would focus on three steps – educating young people on the dangers of knives, police searches of people who they think may be carrying a knife and punishment of those caught with weapons. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Stop and search powers should be used where lawful, necessary and proportionate. Their use in individual cases is an operational matter for Police Scotland. 'Police do use stop and search, and it is one tool to tackle violence alongside a range of other measures such as prevention and education.' Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Warning of 'youth violence epidemic' as child knife seizure stats revealed
Children as young as 10 discovered carrying knives Sign up to the daily Crime UK newsletter. All the latest crime news and trials from across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Police apprehended a child carrying a knife every four days in Scotland last year, leading to warnings of an emerging 'youth violence epidemic.' Official Police Scotland statistics show there were 91 instances of under-18s being found in possession of a bladed or pointed weapon in 2024 by officers using stop and search powers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Teenagers now account for almost a third of positive knife searches across all age groups, sparking calls for the introduction of more 'meaningful' punishments. It comes amid several high profile cases across Scotland involving youths and deadly weapons. Two teenagers have died in the last three months, while other incidents involving knife-related disorder have been reported across the country. The pair were stopped and searched on Hasland Road | PA The issue has been prominent in Scottish political debate in recent weeks, prompting First Minister John Swinney to issue a reassurance about his government's commitment to tackling youth disorder. An analysis of the stop and search statistics by 1919, the crime and justice publication, highlighted several instances where youth children were discovered carrying weapons. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In July 2024, for example, a 10-year-old boy was caught with a knife in the east of Edinburgh, while several 12-year-olds were found carrying blades in the capital, Ayrshire, Glasgow and Lanarkshire throughout the year. More than a dozen children aged 13, two of them girls, were also subjected to a positive blade search. Scottish Labour's justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill called for more early intervention schemes. Labour MSP Pauline McNeill | Getty Images She said: 'These shocking figures are yet another sign that there is a youth violence epidemic emerging in Scotland. 'The SNP has created a perfect storm by cutting youth work services, letting police officer numbers fall, and mismanaging child and adolescent mental health services and education. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Each one of these 91 cases is very serious for our communities and potentially for those actually carrying the weapon. The only way to tackle this effectively is to have early intervention schemes that get to the root cause, and without this we will fail our communities. 'The SNP must take urgent action in all of these areas to tackle knife crime and actually do something that will halt this epidemic.' The Scottish Conservatives claimed that 'soft-touch' sentencing policies which lessen the punishment for under 25s are 'emboldening' young people to carry weapons. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The party's community safety spokesperson Sharon Dowey said: 'These alarming figures lay bare just how drastically knife crime has spiralled out of control. 'The absurd under-25s sentencing guidelines mean that violent young offenders are emboldened to carry dangerous weapons. There must be meaningful punishments for those who use a knife and expanded stop-and-search powers for police to act as a deterrent. 'The SNP's soft-touch attitude towards justice represents an abject dereliction of duty by John Swinney's government. It's high time nationalist ministers woke up to the gravity of this situation and urgently gave our police the resources they need to keep our communities safe.' Scottish Police Federation chairman David Threadgold told the conference "large areas of our country have become policing deserts" | Contributed David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, which funds the company behind 1919 magazine, called for more effective preventative strategies. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Each one of the truly shocking statistics is a justifiable and evidenced-based reaction by the police to an increasingly concerning societal trend we now see emerging among younger members of our communities in Scotland," he said. 'Each of these statistics is a real situation which created significant risk for my colleagues, as well as potentially life changing consequences for the perpetrator, and sadly – as we have seen so tragically across Scotland recently – the victims of knife crime, their families and friends. 'The solution to this problem cannot rest alone with the police; much greater and more effective preventative strategies have to be in place across Scotland.' Mr Threadgold warned against 'soundbites' from politicians and said long as Scotland's national police force cut officer numbers, continue with a programme of closing police stations, and are forced to develop responses such as the proportionate response to crime in an attempt to deal with 'unsustainable demand for our services,' there were questions of whether Police Scotland could 'truly become strongly integrated in our communities to allow the development of the type of relationships that would allow us to play our part in keeping our communities safe.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police Scotland's chief constable Jo Farrell told a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority last month that she was concerned about some of the trends around violent crime committed by young people, and often committed against other young people, stating 'a notable proportion of that is happening in and around schools'. She referenced wider stop and search statistics compiled by her force, which found that out of 900 weapons recovered over the past year, around 200 were seized from those aged 17 or under. The force, she said, had to continually work with partners to understand and tackle the complex issues around youth violence, and she urged people not to carry weapons. Mr Swinney has said he shares the "devastation about the loss of young lives" and recently told MSPs of a three-step approach to the issue - early intervention through education programmes, school and community engagement, and effective punishment when offences take place. Responding to the stop and search statistics, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Stop and search powers should be used where lawful, necessary and proportionate. Their use in individual cases is an operational matter for Police Scotland.
