The Scottish Government has said “we must make sure that we’re doing all we can” to prevent young people picking up knives after teenage stabbings.
Justice Secretary Neil Gray said he would “consider” knife amnesties in the wake of two separate trials over the past week which resulted in teenagers found guilty of killing their victims using knives.
Knife amnesties allow individuals to safely and anonymously dispose of bladed weapons or offensive items without fear of prosecution for possession.
Mr Gray told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show: “Of course, we would consider the likes of knife amnesties if that is something that the likes of the police and other partners feel would be helpful.”
These two cases are shocking and incredibly traumatic. My heart goes out to the families of Kayden and John for the significant trauma that they must be experiencing
He continued: “The sale of knives to under-18s is already illegal and there are very strong laws in place to ensure that the sale of knives does not happen.
“With under-18s, I think the question around culture is one that I absolutely agree with and we must make sure that we’re doing all we can to prevent young people picking up a knife in the first place, involving themselves in gangs, and ensure that there is diversionary activity. That’s where our investments are absolutely targeted.”
Two teenagers were this week found guilty of murdering a 16-year-old on a beach in North Ayrshire in May 2025.
Jay Stewart, 18, and a 15-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons acted together with 18-year-old Cole Turley to kill Kayden Moy after a clash between rival gangs in Irvine.
Another teenager who murdered a man with a hunting knife while on bail for a previous slashing was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years.
The 17-year-old chased and killed John McNab, 22, in an unprovoked attack on Great Junction Street in Leith in September last year.
Mr Gray said: “These two cases are shocking and incredibly traumatic.
“My heart goes out to the families of Kayden and John for the significant trauma that they must be experiencing, and we will put the needs of victims and the safety of wider society central to the work that we continue to do over the course of this five-year parliament.”
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr said: “Neil Gray meekly tried to defend his Government following the Kayden Moy murder trial verdict.
“The truth is, the SNP have abandoned the zero-tolerance approach to knife crime that helped make Scotland safer — for a time.
“Leadership has vanished as young people are once again being lured into gang violence and knife crime is surging in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
“The prevention, education and early intervention that once helped drive knife crime down have been weakened.
“Diversionary activities closed during the Covid pandemic and the violence reduction unit had its budget cut.
“The message is that carrying a knife will not necessarily result in serious consequences.
“John Swinney’s SNP Government needs to stop making excuses and start acting to reverse course on that message.”
Scottish Labour said the SNP must “take responsibility” for the rise in incidents involving young people and weapons.
The party’s justice spokeswoman, Pauline McNeill, said: “It is not credible for the SNP Government to deny that there is a growing crisis in youth justice, with the devastating rise in incidents involving young people and weapons. It’s clear this problem is not going away.
“This rise has happened on their watch and they must take responsibility for their role in it. The Scottish Government needs to urgently bring forward a renewed strategy on violent youth crime.
“Young people and their families are paying the ultimate price for the SNP’s failure in our justice system and it cannot continue. They cannot simply look the other way and pretend the status quo is acceptable.
“A ‘nothing to see here’ approach will not prevent future knife crime incidents. How many young people have to die before the SNP take action?”