Increase in firearms crimes, but total still second lowest on record

Police recorded 341 offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been involved in 2019-20 – a rise of 3% from 332 the previous year.

However the Scottish Government report said the total for 2018-19 was “the lowest since records began in 1980, with the 341 offences in 2019-20 the second lowest”.

There was one homicide involving the use of a firearm in 2019-20 – down from three the previous year.

Firearms crimes have risen in Scotland, figures show, although numbers were still the second lowest on record.

Attempted murders involving a firearm fell from nine in 2018-19 to seven the following year, with two serious assaults involving a firearm in each year.

The number of robberies involving a firearms increased from 29 in 2018-19 to 39.

The most common offence was possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life or commit crime, with 112 offences recorded in 2019-20 – up from 104 the previous year.

In more than half (55%) of the alleged crimes where a firearm was involved, it was used to threaten someone.

In 12% of cases they were fired with no injury or damage caused, but 9% of cases where weapons were fired resulted in injury.

Of the 34 people injured – either fatally or non-fatally – in a firearms incident in 2019-20, 27 were men and seven were women.

The data for 2015-16 to 2018-19 showed that air weapons were the most likely firearms to be used, but this changed in 2019-20 to pistols or revolvers.

A total of 71 firearms offences in 2019-20 involved an air weapon, a fall of 22% from 91 the previous year.

Pistols or revolvers were used in 95 offences – up by 83% from the previous year’s total of 52.

Offences involving shotguns (31), unidentified firearms (37) and imitation firearms (38) all fell, the data showed.