Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson Robert Brown MSP has called on the Scottish Government to ensure that making our communities safer is a key priority for the year ahead.

Official figures show that last year knife attacks in Scotland lead to more than a death a week and other violent physical attacks cause more than one death a month.

Commenting, Mr Brown said:

“Official figures illustrate the growing culture of violence in Scotland. Last year, knife attacks in Scotland led to more than a death a week and other violent physical attacks caused more than one death a month.

“In 2007/08 114 people were killed in Scotland, bringing the total number of people killed over the last decade to 1,230. This is a tragic and senseless loss of life.

“Making our communities safer has to be a key priority for this Government.

“We have to get the message through to people that carrying a knife isn’t cool and that violence will not be tolerated in Scotland today. This means tougher sentences to deter would-be offenders and hard work to identify those likely to offend and intervene at an early stage.”