SNP told to take 'tougher approach' to tackle youth knife crime after 'sickening rise'

John Swinney has been warned that “young people do not feel safe” after a spate of knife crime incidents has sparked calls for SNP ministers to take a “tougher approach”.

The First Minister was pressed after a “sickening rise” of knife crime incidents involving young people.

A police road block on Irvine Beach | John Devlin/The Scotsman

A 17-year-old appeared in court charged with murdering 16-year-old Kayden Moy after being attacked on Saturday on Irvine beach, North Ayrshire, and died in Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock, the following day.

Police said on Thursday they had now arrested and charged a second 17-year-old youth in connection with the death.

READ MORE: Scotland must urgently get a grip on growing problem of weapons in schools

A 16-year old boy has also appeared in court charged with attempted murder following an alleged stabbing at Portobello beach in Edinburgh on Friday evening.

Emergency services attended and another teenager, aged 17, was found injured and taken to hospital for medical treatment.

FMQs exchanges

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said there has been a 600 per cent surge in the number of serious assaults committed by teenagers in Scotland over the last five years - branding the trend a “sickening rise”.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay | Jane Barlow/PA Wire

He added: “Two teenagers have died and 11 injured during a spate of knife incidents involving youths over the last two months. Young people do not feel safe. The system does not protect them.”

Mr Findlay pressed the First Minister over concerns from parents they are “terrified every time their son or daughter leaves the house”.

In response, Mr Swinney expressed his “sympathy to the family of Kayden Moy”, adding “it is a tragedy that they are having to come to terms with”.

He added: “One incident is one incident too many. The disorder and the violence at Irvine Beach and Portobello was totally unacceptable.”

The First Minister pointed to “education programmes on the danger and the unacceptability of carrying a knife and taking part in violence”.

First Minister John Swinney at FMQs | Jane Barlow/PA Wire

He also highlighted “effective punishment where offences are committed” and “sustained school and community engagement with young people”.

Mr Swinney added: “We have seen sustained falls in knife crime in the last 15 years. We will act to eradicate such incidents.”

But Mr Findlay claimed a rise in incidents “can be linked directly to the policies and actions of this government".

He said: “The SNP has systematically weakened the justice system, especially in youth justice.”

The Scottish Tory leader claimed there was “no longer any meaningful deterrent”, warning this “inevitably fuels youth violence”.

READ MORE: Scottish schools a 'battleground of blame and violence' due to far-right influence, union chief warns

He said: “Misguided thinking is at the heart of SNP policy-making. Surely John Swinney can see it is not working and it is time to take a tougher approach”.

Mr Findlay claimed that schools “won’t exclude disruptive and dangerous pupils” and inaccurately added the SNP had “passed a law preventing under-18s being sent to prison, even if they commit murder”, adding the stance was “costing lives”.

In response, Mr Swinney insisted “all sentencing options, including imprisonment, remain open to the court”.

Scottish Labour attacks

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar raised parents being fearful over a “culture of violence going unchallenged”, adding: “Many parents are rightly worried and fear their children are not safe.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar | Jane Barlow/PA Wire

He added: “Since the SNP created Police Scotland, we have lost 800 officers and since 2017, the SNP has cut 730 officers from local divisions and shut countless local police stations.

“And now, we are hearing horrifying reports of children — primary school children — being caught carrying knives. This is not a coincidence.

READ MORE: 'Terrifying' rise in number of Scottish pupils using dangerous weapons in schools

“The SNP have cut police officers, shut police stations and decimated youth work services.”

Mr Sarwar claimed SNP ministers had “mismanaged our justice system so badly that every day 500 police officers are stuck in courtrooms with 90 per cent not even giving evidence”.

“And they broke our NHS to the point that police officers are stuck in A&E wards escorting patients when they should be on the streets fighting crime,” he said.

“The rise in violence we are seeing now is a direct consequence of SNP decisions and failures.”

Mr Sarwar also brought up an open letter sent to the First Minister by Vicky Donald, whose daughter was 13 years old when she was “viciously assaulted on the way to school”.

In Ms Donald’s letter, sent in the wake of the recent incidents, the campaigner warned that “this is not just a tragedy, it is a failure”, pointing to ”a failure of the systems, structures and leadership meant to protect our children”.

She added: “This isn’t about reputation or reports. It’s about reality. It‘s about life and death.”

The First Minister has written in reply to Ms Donald, stressing the recent incidents were “a tragedy and shocking”, adding that “families’ lives have been ruined”.

He added: “My heart goes out to the family of Kayden Moy and to any family who has lost a child or loved one is such horrific circumstances.”

In his letter, Mr Swinney highlighted “how distressing this must feel to other young people who witnessed these attacks last weekend”.

He added: “It is never okay to carry a knife or a weapon in any place at any time. The devastation caused by such violence impacts on families and friends and on communities and our society as a whole.

“I understand these violent incidents create fear and exacerbate people’s perceptions of not feeling safe across communities.”

Mr Swinney added that “it is also important that, collectively, we recognise that the majority of young people do not behave in a violent manner or carry knives and weapons”.

He said: “There is no one single solution to tackle violence including knife crime. It requires the ongoing concerted effort by us all.”

‘Do not carry weapons’

Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell issued a “clear plea” to Scots not to carry weapons, as she highlighted the impact violent crime has on individuals, families and communities during a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority on Thursday.

Ms Farrell said: “Violent crime is at historically low levels, with homicides at record low levels and attempted murders and serious assaults are also at low levels compared to recent years.

“However, I am concerned about some of the trends around violent crime committed by young people, and often committed against other young people, and we think a notable proportion of that is happening in and around schools.

“It’s on policing and partners, local authorities, third sector, and beyond to work together to do all we can to prevent violence and reduce the harm it is causing.

“Reducing violence and preventing the harm it is causing continues to be an absolute priority.

“Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland leads our national approach to addressing violence, anti-social behaviour and for stop-and-search, which is a really valuable policing tactic to remove weapons from pockets.”

She said in the last year, around 40,000 stop-and-search operations were carried out and more than 900 weapons were recovered.

Of those 900 weapons, more than 200 were recovered from people aged 17 or under.

Ms Farrell added: “I would conclude with a very, very simple and clear plea to people – do not carry weapons.”