An anti-crime campaigner from one of Scotland’s largest anti-knife groups has stated that the law and punishment for offenders in Scotland lags behind England and the rest of the UK.

The statement comes following new rules that have recently come into effect in England that guarantees jail time for any person caught carrying or using a knife for the second time. The “two strikes” sentence means that if you are caught a second time carrying a blade you will face a minimum six months in jail.

Young offenders under 17 could also face a minimal four months in jail.

Clampdown on Knife Crime

The clampdown on knife crime in England had been greeted by all campaign groups across the UK with activists in Scotland calling for a similar law to be put in place. However, criminal sentencing is a devolved issue meaning that the rules are currently only in place in England and Wales. Currently, England already has a minimum sentence of 25 years for a knife murder while Scotland has a guideline start point of 16 years.

John Muir, MBE, called for a similar law to be introduced in Scotland. He said: “It’s a source of great frustration to us when we see exactly what we have called for happening in England - but not here.

“There just seems to be an intransigence or lack of flexibility in Scotland when it comes to such matters.

“We are aware that offending is a complex issue, but sometimes the powers-that-be here overthink it.

“Even those who are, for whatever reason, against prison terms must recognise the new law in England gives people a second chance - while guaranteeing jail sentences for repeat offenders.

“There just seems to be a fearfulness in Scotland to introduce bold sentencing guidelines - so we are left to how an individual sheriff or judge is feeling on a particular day.”

Despite the criticism, the Scottish government stated that the sentence for carrying a knife in Scotland is at an all time high. 

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