Glasgow Solicitors Blog from The GLP

Anyone arrested with a knife in Scotland’s town and city centres will now be prosecuted before a Sheriff and jury, resulting in a potential increase of a maximum prison term from one year to four years.

The Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland QC, has announced a zero tolerance crackdown on knife carrying over the next six weeks in a pilot project targeting Scotland’s town and city centres. Anyone caught in these areas in possession of a knife will be arrested and prosecuted before a Sheriff and jury, resulting in a potential increase from a maximum prison term of one year to four years.

A successful knife crime education campaign which has seen knife carrying reduce by 35% during a pilot in Inverclyde is to be rolled out to six new areas in Scotland.

First time offenders in Scotland who are found in possession of a knife now face more serious penalties with a strengthening of the current prosecution policy. The Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC has announced changes which will target offenders and specific types of offending that pose significant danger to others.