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Police say knives are a greater threat than guns
By Neil Mackay, Home Affairs Editor
SCOTLAND'S brutal culture of knives, machismo and alcohol is a much greater threat to public safety north of the Border than guns and must be brought under control, claims Hugh Henry, the deputy justice minister.
Henry says the country is in the grip of a rising tide of violent knife crime. 'We have got to try and change Scottish culture,' he said in an interview with the Sunday Herald. 'As a society, we know we drink too much. Far too many people think enjoying themselves means getting out of their head and having a fight.'
Henry was backed by Tom Wood, the deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders, and Graeme Pearson, assistant chief constable and head of crime with Strathclyde Police. Figures show that over the last decade knife crime in Scotland has risen from 6500 incidents in 1992 to an all-time high of 8671 in 2001. Over the same period gun crime fell from 800 firearms offences in 1992 to 517 in 2001.
Pearson said: 'Knife crime has risen as gun crime has fallen. If you asked me as an officer what's the threat to me on the streets, I'd say I'm far more aware of the risk of meeting a knife than a gun.'
Crimes with replica handguns, however, are at their worst levels in many cities. In Edinburgh, there were 25 replica handgun offences in 2001, but this tripled to 76 offences in 2002.
Pearson and Wood now want to see all replica handguns banned -- extending measures taken by the government which will prohibit the carrying of fake guns in public. They both condemned the many stores in Scotland which are currently able to openly sell fake firearms. Backstreets armourers can easily turn a replica weapon into a fully operating gun.
'There is no useful purpose to replica guns,' said Wood. 'They aren't toys and they aren't collectors items. They should be banned full-stop.'
He says he fears his firearms officers will end up killing one of the many youths who brandish fake weapons in Edinburgh each weekend.
Hugh Henry blamed out-of-control youths, feckless parents and yob culture for the fear of crime which is now gripping the public.
http://www.sundayherald.com/30601
By Neil Mackay, Home Affairs Editor
SCOTLAND'S brutal culture of knives, machismo and alcohol is a much greater threat to public safety north of the Border than guns and must be brought under control, claims Hugh Henry, the deputy justice minister.
Henry says the country is in the grip of a rising tide of violent knife crime. 'We have got to try and change Scottish culture,' he said in an interview with the Sunday Herald. 'As a society, we know we drink too much. Far too many people think enjoying themselves means getting out of their head and having a fight.'
Henry was backed by Tom Wood, the deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders, and Graeme Pearson, assistant chief constable and head of crime with Strathclyde Police. Figures show that over the last decade knife crime in Scotland has risen from 6500 incidents in 1992 to an all-time high of 8671 in 2001. Over the same period gun crime fell from 800 firearms offences in 1992 to 517 in 2001.
Pearson said: 'Knife crime has risen as gun crime has fallen. If you asked me as an officer what's the threat to me on the streets, I'd say I'm far more aware of the risk of meeting a knife than a gun.'
Crimes with replica handguns, however, are at their worst levels in many cities. In Edinburgh, there were 25 replica handgun offences in 2001, but this tripled to 76 offences in 2002.
Pearson and Wood now want to see all replica handguns banned -- extending measures taken by the government which will prohibit the carrying of fake guns in public. They both condemned the many stores in Scotland which are currently able to openly sell fake firearms. Backstreets armourers can easily turn a replica weapon into a fully operating gun.
'There is no useful purpose to replica guns,' said Wood. 'They aren't toys and they aren't collectors items. They should be banned full-stop.'
He says he fears his firearms officers will end up killing one of the many youths who brandish fake weapons in Edinburgh each weekend.
Hugh Henry blamed out-of-control youths, feckless parents and yob culture for the fear of crime which is now gripping the public.
http://www.sundayherald.com/30601
