John Swinney to host adolescence violence summit after knife murders

First Minister John Swinney will host a summit to in a bid to stop knife crime lower than a month after a young person was once murdered on a seaside.

The Scottish govt additionally pledged investment for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) will upward thrust by way of 7% to greater than £1.2m.

Kayden Moy, 16, died in health center following the assault in Irvine, which got here two months after Amen Teklay, 15, was once fatally stabbed in Glasgow.

Police Scotland have made arrests in reference to each investigations.

On the similar weekend Kayden was once attacked there was once additionally a stabbing at Portobello seaside in Edinburgh, leading to a 16-year-old being charged with tried homicide.

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs mentioned the incidents demonstrated the “tragic consequences” of sporting knives.

The summit additionally comes forward of a march in opposition to knife crime later this month.

It has been organised by way of the circle of relatives of Kory McCrimmon, who was once 16 when he was once fatally stabbed in May final yr in a park within the town’s east finish.

Last month a 14-year-old boy was once locked up for 5 years for killing {the teenager} in struggle over £50.

Despite the high-profile recent murders Police Scotland said that the total number of serious assaults by 11 to 18-year-olds fell 27% between 2019/20 and 2024/25 from 428 to 313.

An additional £82,000 funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit was announced this week.

Medics Against Violence also received an additional £345,000 while a further £156,000 has been awarded to the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme.

The summit, on Thursday, will include the justice and education secretaries, ministers for children and for victims and community safety, cross-party MSPs, youth workers and community programmes.

It follows discussions led by Swinney to hear young people and families’ experiences and ideas on possible solutions.

The event will focus on education and community engagement with young people and possible strategies to prevent them from turning to anti-social behaviour or carrying a weapon.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “Scotland stays a secure position to are living.

“But more needs to be done to change the attitudes and behaviours of some who are at risk of violence, or young people considering carrying a weapon.

“There is not any position for violence in Scotland and any individual who commits against the law will face the effects.”

Ms Constance said it was vital to tackle the root causes of violence.

She added: “We all should paintings in combination to assist younger other people really feel secure and realise that sporting a knife isn’t the solution.”

Three teenage boys – aged 14, 15, and 16 – have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Amen, an Eritrean refugee, in Glasgow on 5 March.

Kayden Moy, of East Kilbride, was critically injured on Irvine Beach, North Ayrshire, on 17 May and died in hospital.

In fresh weeks, 3 teenage boys – two elderly 17 and a 14-year-old – have seemed in courtroom charged along with his homicide.