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 Parole Board for Scotland has published its Annual Report 2010-11.The report shows, among other things, that out of 606 determinate sentence prisoners whose cases were referred to the Board, 170 (or 28%) were recommended for release on parole.

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 bill which seeks to resolve a sentencing anomaly around mandatory life sentences has been published by the Scottish Government.