PRESS RELEASE

November 12th, 2009

25 years for knife killers

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil is backing plans for new legislation that will see knife killers jailed for a minimum of 25 years.

UK justice secretary Jack Straw announced he is to increase the mandatory minimum sentence for someone convicted of murder using a knife or other weapon carried to the scene with the intention of use as a weapon from 15 years.

The local MSP, in light of the knife campaign he has been involved with in his constituency, has now written to Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill asking if he will follow his lead.

Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, said: “If we are going to send out a message that knives are unacceptable, we need tougher sentences.

“That means sending criminals to jail for carrying knives and when they use a knife to take someone’s life, send them to jail for longer.

“That is why I would support the steps being taken in England and Wales to increase the minimum prison term for knife killers to 25 years and I will be writing to Kenny MacAskill asking him how Scotland can follow this lead.”

ENDS