Thug left me for dead at 12
VICTIM TELLS CANDIDATES TO CAGE ALL KNIFE YOBS
A KNIFE victim left for dead after being stabbed in the NECK has challenged politicians to get tougher on Scotland's blade-wielding yobs.
Andrew Skinner was just 12 when he was almost killed by a violent drug addict.
And at the News of the World's Save Our Streets by-election hustings in Glasgow this week he told our panel of would-be MPs: "We need to be tougher on youths who carry knives. There should be a mandatory sentence of two years."
Andrew, below, was among the large crowd who packed out a lecture theatre at North Glasgow College to hear contenders for the Westminster seat left vacant by the retirement of former Commons Speaker Michael Martin.
Our event gave him the chance to make his views known to candidates from the four main parties.
He recalled how he was just an innocent schoolboy enjoying a kickabout with his brother when a callous 25-year-old thug plunged a knife in his throat. He said: "At first I thought I had been punched, but there was so much blood it did not take long before I realised I'd been stabbed.
"My brother tore my jacket off and pressed it to my neck to staunch the blood and we ran to a shop to phone my dad.
"I got to the hospital in the nick of time because I had lost a life- threatening amount of blood.
"I recovered but I was wary of walking the streets for a long time after it." By contrast, the junkie attacker who nearly killed him was sentenced to just TWO YEARS.
Now 24, Andrew from Haghill, Glasgow, called for the courts to hammer ALL knife thugs.
He added: "There should be no doubt that if you use a blade you will go to jail. But even carrying one - or any type of weapon - has to be punished.
"Knife crime is like an epidemic. We are risking losing another generation to this violent gang culture. I've seen kids of 14 and 15 with blades. We have to break the mould of young people who think it's acceptable to carry a weapon."
And turning to the by-election, the politics student said: "There are a lot of problems in this area. We need someone who is up to the job to fight for improvements."
But the issue of knife crime divided the candidates for the Glasgow North East seat.
SNP hopeful David Kerr REJECTED Andrew's plea for a minimum jail term for anyone caught with a blade. He said: "We have to be smart with how we approach the problem.
I believe there should be a mandatory sentence of FOUR years
"Being tough with offenders who carry knives is the best way. But mandatory sentencing for people caught with a weapon, regardless of whether they have a legitimate reason or not, is unfair.
"There should be a presumption towards jail - but you have to give judges and sheriffs a degree of discretion. We've seen a 34 per cent drop in knife crime since the SNP came to power in 2007 and I believe we are on the right track."
But Labour candidate Willie Bain blasted the Nat's stance. He told Kerr: "You have been speaking to judges - but I have been speaking to PEOPLE. There must be tough punishments for anyone caught with a knife for any reason."
Bain continued: "I believe there should be a mandatory sentence of FOUR years. That punishment would be tough - but we can't risk losing another generation to the same problem."
Tory contender Ruth Davidson said: "Knife crime is a massive issue here, as is unemployment and regeneration. There should be mandatory sentencing with no early release for people caught with a knife."
But Lib Dem candidate Eileen Baxendale replied: "I don't support mandatory sentencing. With it, the punishment doesn't always fit the crime.
"We have to address the level of youngsters offending. They need to be educated properly on issues such as knife crime."
This article has 5 comments
I think we all know that a chef or tradesmen arent going to get jailed for going to work (fact).
knife crime is everywhere in the eastend .
If you carry a blade and you have a history of violence or crime then you should go to jail with no get out of jail card after a few months ,thats an insult to us all.
If someone has a knife at 2 in the morning then bye bye that person has to be locked up ,what use do you have for a knife at 2 in the morning please tell me that afterall the people that get caught with knifes aren't workers they are street scum, I see them everyday i live in a deprived area of the eastend and i am a voter.
I asked snp David kerr what his views are on 14-15 year old carrying blades he didnt have an answer so he doesn't get my vote and neither does any of the other candidates not one of them have a clue they all quote party policies why not quote what they want to do if they go with party policy then we aren't getting represented at our street level.
EASTEND POLICIES FOR THE EASTEND NOT NATIONAL ONES.
By Andrew Skinner. Posted October 25 2009 at 2:50 PM.
I would like to join George Laird in his campaign to have Human Rights recognised at Glasgow University. For too long the students have had their human rights trampled by an unfeeling educational establishment.
The campaign should call for -
Comfy beds for Students
Fresher's Week to be extended to three weeks at the beginning and end of each semester.
Longer sticks on lollipops.
Peter Mitchell
The Campaign For Human Rights at Glasgow University.
By Peter Mitchell. Posted October 12 2009 at 12:24 PM.
Dear Joe Lafferty
William Bain is proposing that ANYONE regardless of circumstances should get a mandatory 4 years jail term for being in possession of a knife.
In others words, he is saying a person is guilty until they proven themselves innocent.
Bad luck if you're a chef taking your kitchen knifes to and from work for example.
Each day a lottery if you would go to prison!
David Kerr, the SNP Candidate is looking at the issue objectively and in a calm rational manner, William Bain is only trying to grab a headline.
Bain's idea flies in the face of a person getting a fair trial.
By removing the human element in the justice system, Bain seeks to remove safeguards, to make the system unfair.
As a victim of knife crime who almost died, I wouldn't support the imprisonment of innocent people just because William Bain wants £65k a year plus expenses.
And neither would the voters of Glasgow North East, they need an MP with integrity, they will get that when David Kerr takes his seat in the House of Commons.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
By George Laird. Posted October 7 2009 at 8:33 PM.
Dear All
David Kerr of the SNP is correct to oppose William Bain's idea as it stands.
It means that innocent people would be punished.
As a victim of knife crime, multiple stab wounds, I also attended the News of the World hustings of the four main candidates in that lecture theatre and spoke out against his proposal.
Mr. Bain is intellectual weak on knife crime, not only does he not have the answers, he doesn't understand the question.
Independent judges are a safeguard in the legal system.
The people of Glasgow North East have already had one bad MP, is it not time they had a good one?
David Kerr, the SNP Candidate is a thinking politician who will stand up for people's rights.
Yours sincerely
G Laird
By George Laird. Posted October 4 2009 at 1:30 PM.
I belive if u carry knifes,u are out to look for trouble,and should be punished and like Andrew skinner i belive a 4 year mandory jail term,should be in force.
By Joe Mclafferty. Posted October 4 2009 at 12:21 PM.