Buckfast 'mentioned in 5,000 Strathclyde crime reports'

Published on Sunday 17 January 2010 14:09

The tonic wine Buckfast has been mentioned in 5,000 crime reports by Scotland's biggest police force in the last three years, a BBC investigation revealed today.

Almost one in ten of those crimes in the Strathclyde Police force area was violent, according to figures obtained by the broadcaster under Freedom of Information legislation.

During that period the Buckfast bottle was used as a weapon 114 times.

Police said the figures suggested there is an association between Buckfast and violence.

The findings are revealed in the programme BBC Scotland Investigates: The Buckfast Code tonight.

During the programme Superintendent Bob Hamilton of Strathclyde Police was asked whether the figures mean that Buckfast can be said to be associated with violence.

He replied: "I think it's clear from the figures that there is an association there."

He added: "The figures are fairly clear that Buckfast is mentioned in a number of crime reports and over the period requested, the Buckfast bottle was used 114 times as a weapon."

Buckfast is produced by Benedictine monks in a Devon monastery.

The investigation also looks at the ingredients of the drink and how they may affect the behaviour of consumers, potentially making them anxious and aggressive if drunk in large quantities.

Neuroscientist Dr Steven Alexander tells the programme there is 281 milligrammes of caffeine in a bottle of Buckfast – as much caffeine as in eight cans of coke.

The programme features interviews with young inmates at Polmont Young Offenders' Institution who admitted drinking two bottles of Buckfast a day.

Asked about the effects of consuming more caffeine than there is in 16 cans of coke, Dr Alexander said: "It's going to have him bouncing around all over the place because the anxiety levels, the adrenalin will be running around.

"He will certainly be feeling very anxious, very aggressive."

The programme reports that around the world there is increasing concern about the effect of caffeine when mixed with alcohol, with the US Food and Drug Administration considering banning pre-mixed caffeinated alcohol drinks altogether.

Labour MSP Richard Baker tells the programme new legislation is needed to reduce access to caffeinated alcohol products.

A request for an interview with the monks of Buckfast Abbey to respond to the issues raised was turned down, the BBC said.

However Jim Wilson, from J.C Chandler, the distributors of the tonic wine in Scotland was interviewed.

When asked what would be the harm in reducing the caffeine level, Mr Wilson said: "Why should we? It's been there for over eighty years. Why should we go about changing the recipe of something just to satisfy somebody's whim?"

Mr Wilson also believes the Benedictine monks are not to blame for the effects of Buckfast in the outside world.

He said: "Why should they accept responsibility? They're not up here pouring any of their Buckfast down somebody's throat. People take it by choice because they like it, because it's a good product."

Asked if the monks should accept any kind of moral responsibility, Mr Wilson said: "No, they produce a good product. Buckfast is an exceptionally good product. I drink it. Now, if I thought there was something wrong with it, would I drink it? The answer to that, certainly not."

BBC Scotland Investigates: The Buckfast Code will be screened on BBC One Scotland at 7.30pm tonight.