One in five knife criminals in the Capital is repeat offender

ONE in five people convicted of carrying a knife or offensive weapon in Edinburgh has previously been charged for a similar offence, new figures reveal today.

The statistics also show that the number of convictions for possession have soared by 31 per cent in just four years.

Police today said the increase in convictions was largely down to stricter law enforcement, with more patrols targeting and catching knife carriers.

The Lothian and Borders force has carried out a string of operations aimed at cutting knife crime, including searches on buses and outside nightclubs.

The latest figures, which were released by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill in a parliamentary answer, showed that 268 people were convicted of possessing an offensive weapon in the city between April 2006 and March 2007. That compares with 184 who were convicted in 2002-03.

Twenty per cent of the 268 found guilty in 2006-07 already had a conviction on their record for the same offence.

Legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2006 doubled the maximum jail sentence for carrying knives to four years.

The Scottish Government said it remained "committed to tackling the problem".

However, Lothian Tory MSP Gavin Brown said: "It is a major concern that more than one person a week caught with a knife in Edinburgh is a repeat offender.

"It is quite clear that the Scottish Government is not doing enough to demonstrate how unacceptable it is to carry a knife on our streets and that is why a zero-tolerance approach is required.

"What is needed is the presumption of prison for those convicted of carrying a knife.

A report prepared by the force for Lothian and Borders Police Board said incidents of knife possession were "spread fairly consistently throughout the week". It added: "This could imply that knife carrying may be related to lifestyle or a desire for self- protection." The report said victims and offenders are "most likely to be males aged between 20 and 29".

A police spokesman said: "Carrying a knife or offensive weapon is an extremely serious offence and Lothian and Borders Police will actively pursue a conviction for anyone found in possession of a weapon.

"Reducing violent crime is a force priority and the rise in criminal convictions for those carrying a dangerous weapon can in no small part be attributed to the proactive steps we've taken to tackle such crime.

"We have been extremely encouraged by the responsiveness of pubs and clubs in the force area who have adopted stringent search techniques with the aide of doorway metal detectors."

During the period covered by the 2006-07 figures, a pair of Edinburgh teenagers were stabbed to death.

Seventeen-year-old Liam Melvin was killed in Southhouse Brae in December 2006, while Kevin Smith, also 17, was knifed in West Pilton. Since then, 16-year-old Christopher Bruce, 18-year-old Jamie Ewart, and Sean Hay, 23, have been stabbed to death in the city.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "This Government is committed to tackling the problem.

"That's why we're funding new initiatives such as Medics against Violence – which will see professionals go into schools to educate young people on the dangers of knife crime."