2,030 knives seized in Scots courts

Published on Thursday 20 January 2011 15:48

More than 2,000 knives were seized in Scotland's courts last year, justice secretary Kenny MacAskill revealed yesterday.

The Scottish Court Service confiscated 2,030 weapons in 2010, compared to 311 in 2007. They included kitchen, Stanley and pen knives, scissors, razor blades and knitting needles.

Mr MacAskill said, during themed questions in Holyrood, that the rise from 311 in 2007 to 1,518 in 2008 and more than 2,000 last year could be attributed to improved security in courts, improved recording and reporting, and greater awareness among staff.

He said: "The discovery of any weapon or potential weapon by staff is immediately reported to police, who have a presence and responsibility for public order in all our court buildings, and successful prosecutions have resulted from the Scottish Court Service's security arrangements."

Labour MSP Andy Kerr, who asked Mr MacAskill for the figures, said the statistics showed "a complete lack of faith and respect" for the Scottish Government's approach to knife crime.

He said: "Will the minister finally see that his approach is not working.

"It's time to join tens of thousands of other Scots who want to see Labour's plans for a minimum mandatory sentence for knife carriers being brought into law."