Scotland's zero tolerance policy on knife crime , which saw jail sentences for carrying a blade has been abandoned, the Sunday Mail can reveal. ‌

In 2012 new prosecution guidelines were introduced to ensure that even first-time offenders would appear before a jury in the sheriff court – a move that would almost certainly result in up to four years behind bars. The approach combined with education programmes through the Violence Reduction Unit resulted in significant decreases in stabbing and was lauded a huge success. ‌

But in the middle of a terrifying wave of youth knife crime a Sunday Mail investigation has found the zero tolerance strategy has been cast aside in the face of overcrowded prisons and criminal justice budget cuts. ‌

●Since 2022 only a third of knife possess

See Full Page