Knife Crime

Knife crime is one of those issues that can feel distant - until it isn’t. The tragic murder of Henry Nowak brought that reality sharply into focus. Even in communities like North East Fife, largely spared the worst of violent crime, the figures remind us this is not someone else’s problem. Since 2021, three lives here in Fife have been lost to sharp instruments. Recent incidents in Ayrshire, Perth and Edinburgh only reinforce a difficult truth: this is a national issue.

For years, Scotland was held up as a success story. Once labelled the “murder capital of Europe”, Glasgow in particular saw a remarkable turnaround following the creation of the Violence Reduction Unit in 2005. By treating violence as a public health issue rather than simply a policing matter, Scotland achieved a sustained drop in homicides and knife-related assaults.

But the picture today is more complex. Incidents involving knives have not disappeared, and in some respects, they are changing. Across Scotland, there has been a noticeable rise in young people carrying weapons. Police have recorded cases of children as young as ten being found with knives, and teenagers now make up a significant share of those caught in possession. This shift is deeply troubling.

As a former police officer of twelve years, I have seen first-hand how these cases unfold: the fear, the impulsivity, and often the lack of foresight. Carrying a knife is rarely about intent to harm; more often, it reflects peer influence or the belief that a weapon offers protection. Yet the consequences can be irreversible in a moment.

It is also important to say that when national tragedies are used to fuel division through protests, such as those seen recently in Southampton, it places further strain on policing. Community officers are drawn into managing disorder, away from the local work and intervention that help prevent violence in the first place. In that sense, reaction can risk undermining prevention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH0obQhImq8

I was recently on BBC Newsnight alongside people whose lives have been shaped by knife crime - a father, Martin Cosser, who lost his son, a survivor of two attacks, and someone who had served time for carrying a blade, all now advocating for awareness and prevention. What’s clear is that knife crime is a shared issue. It is not simply a matter for police or politicians, but for schools, families and communities alike.

North East Fife may not sit at the centre of this crisis, but it is not outside it either. If we are serious about keeping it that way, we cannot afford to look away.