A retired police officer whose son was threatened with a lock knife at a north-east academy has condemned the “shocking” weapon figures and said stiffer penalties are needed.
The incident happened late last month when a fight broke out between two boys in the grounds of Peterhead Academy. One schoolboy brandished a knife at another in a row over a girl.
The father of the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said his son had a “lucky escape” unlike Bailey Gwynne who was stabbed to death by a classmate at Cults Academy in Aberdeen two years ago.
“Since the Bailey Gwynne case there’s been a heightened awareness from parents about knife crime,” the retired officer said last night. “When my son had his lucky escape I thought about Bailey.
“It’s disappointing that there aren’t more mechanisms in place to do with it. Do you have checks or searches? They are difficult to introduce.”
The father said he feared authorities’ first instinct is to “suppress” incidents to avoid panic.
“The statistics are evidence – proof – that there is a problem. The authorities need to be more proactive, it needs a light shining on it.
“It’s a shocking stat. Schools need to be more open and people caught need stiffer penalties including automatic exclusion.”
He added that the government should not rule out fining parents of youngsters caught with weapons.
A schoolboy from Peterhead Academy was charged after allegedly attacking the police officer’s son and brandishing a blade.
