Politicans unite to back Advertiser’s "Hammer The Knives Thugs” campaign following death of Reamonn

Feb 17 2011 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

POLITICIANS across Lanarkshire have united to back our “Hammer The Knives Thugs” campaign.

The Advertiser launched the campaign after 19-year-old Reamonn Gormley was killed in Blantyre’s Glasgow Road after walking his way home with his friend David McFall on February 1.

Politicians of all parties expressed their deepest condolences to the Gormley family

Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP Tom Greatrex, whose offices are based in Blantyre, said: “I fully support the Hamilton Advertiser's anti-knife crime campaign.

“My message on this is simple, those found carrying a knife should be given a minimum mandatory jail sentence.”

Hamilton South MSP Tom McCabe attended the march along with his colleague Rutherglen MSP James Kelly and councillors in Blantyre.

Mr McCabe said: “I am 100 per cent behind the Advertiser’s campaign.

“We need to get tougher on people who carry knives.

“We need to educate people more about the consequences of these actions.

“Do people really know the consequences of putting a knife in someone?”

James Kelly MSP, Labour’s spokesman on Justice, called on the Scottish Government to introduce a mandatory minimum sentence of six months for people carrying a knife.

He said: “It has to be clear to people that if they are carrying a knife they are going to be punished severely.

“That will result in fewer knives and therefore fewer violent incidents and, hopefully, fewer tragedies similar to the one that occurred in Blantyre.

“We need to look closely at the minimum sentences for knife murders.

“We need to legislate and have tougher sentences.”

Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell, the party’s spokeswoman on justice added: “I wholeheartedly support the Advertiser's campaign against knife crime which will play a significant role in sending out a stark message that it is never acceptable to carry a knife.”

“The tragic events surrounding the needless and futile murder Reamonn Gormley, an exemplary young man with a bright future ahead of him, must serve as a wake up call for sentences that do deter this kind of mindless violence which no reasonable person could ever understand.”

SNP’s Aileen Campbell said: “I hope readers of the Advertiser will back the campaign.

“And by doing so make it clear that knives are not acceptable in our communities.”

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has rejected calls for minimum mandatory sentences for thugs carrying knives.

He believes a combination of tough enforcement on the streets by police, backed by education, is the key to tackling knife crime.

Mr MacAskill added: “Homicide rates are down to their lowest level in 31 years.

“The number of people killed as a result of a knife is down 39 per cent on last year, the number of people caught carrying a knife is down to its lowest level in a decade and sentence lengths for such crimes are also at their longest in a decade.

“However, we cannot be complacent.

“There will be no let up in our efforts because as we’ve seen in recent days, every knife incident is one too many.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said that the courts have the power to give a four-year sentence to anyone caught carrying a knife.

“Mandatory minimum sentences as a one-size fits all approach for knife possession offences are not the answer in our view and they are not supported by leading police officers who have spoken out against the proposals.”