NEW figures, which show the average custodial sentence for handling an offensive weapon in Scotland, has risen by 7 per cent in the last year and is now three times higher than in 2004-05, have been welcomed by the Scottish Government Justice Secretary, Michael Matheson.
Campaigners against knife crime in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area will be heartened by the news.
A detailed analysis for 2013/14 also shows that if you are caught carrying a knife or other pointed weapon in Scotland, you are now likely to receive a custodial sentence that is around 90 per cent longer than for the same offences in England and Wales.
The criminal proceedings statistics for 2013-14 show that the total number of people proceeded against in Scottish courts increased by 4 per cent in the year to 2013/14. This rise has been primarily driven by rises in convictions for motor vehicle offences which increased by 14 per cent.
Overall, the average sentence length for all crimes increased by 3 per cent in 2013/14 compared to the previous year.
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