Blade crime crackdown call
Linzi Watson • Published 14 Feb 2012 16:00
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KNIFE CRIME: From top to bottom, campaigners including John Muir and Duncan Simpson, have written a strongly-worded letter to MSPs Duncan McNeil and Stuart McMillan, demanding changes to the law.
KNIFE crime campaigners have sent a strongly-worded letter to MSPs demanding they do more to tackle the scourge of blade thugs.
The newly formed Inverclyde Anti-Knife Group, which includes tireless local activist John Muir - whose son Damian was stabbed to death in Greenock in 2007 - have drawn up a list of key changes they want to see implemented.
This week they drafted a detailed letter which is being sent to a number of politicians - including Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil and West of Scotland MSP Stuart McMillan.
The district's MP Iain McKenzie and representatives from the local council have also been lobbied.
The letter lists the aims of the 'local victims committee'.
These include a knife murder sentencing tariff of 25 years - to bring punishments in line with English and Welsh law - and 'honest' sentencing without early releases.
The pressure group also want an automatic refusal of bail for those who have a history of violent or blade-related crimes and the appointment of a commissioner for victims.
Duncan Simpson, who has taken on the role of group controller, said: "We must introduce a real fear of arrest, prosecution and penalty.
"We must totally disenfranchise the benefit and attraction of casual violence particularly where the knife is concerned, or any other weapon for that matter."
The Inverclyde Anti-Knife Group plans to work with national pressure group Campaign for Change, which has a presence in several towns across Scotland, including Blantyre.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 14 Feb 12
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