First Minister to host youth violence summit after knife murders

First Minister John Swinney will host a summit in a bid to prevent knife crime less than a month after a teenager was murdered on a beach.

Kayden Moy, 16, died in hospital following the attack in Irvine, which came two months after Amen Teklay, 15, was fatally stabbed in Glasgow.

Police Scotland have made arrests in connection with both investigations.

Last week it was announced funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) will rise by 7% to more than £1.2m - a reversal on earlier plans to cut its budget by £35,500.

On the same weekend Kayden was attacked there was also a stabbing at Portobello beach in Edinburgh, resulting in a 16-year-old being charged with attempted murder.

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said the incidents demonstrated the "tragic consequences" of carrying knives.

The summit, on Thursday, also comes ahead of a march against knife crime later this month.

It has been organised by the family of Kory McCrimmon, who was 16 when he was fatally stabbed in May last year in a park in the city's east end.

Last month a 14-year-old boy was locked up for five years for killing the teenager in fight over £50.

Despite the high-profile recent murders Police Scotland said that the total number of serious assaults by 11 to 18-year-olds fell 27% between 2019/20 and 2024/25 from 428 to 313.

An additional £82,000 funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit was announced this week.

Medics Against Violence and the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme also received extra money for the new financial year.

The summit will include the justice and education secretaries, ministers for children and for victims and community safety, cross-party MSPs, youth workers and community programmes.

It follows discussions led by Swinney to hear young people and families' experiences and ideas on possible solutions.

The event will focus on education and community engagement with young people and possible strategies to prevent them from turning to anti-social behaviour or carrying a weapon.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: "Scotland remains a safe place to live.

"But more needs to be done to change the attitudes and behaviours of some who are at risk of violence, or young people considering carrying a weapon.

"There is no place for violence in Scotland and anyone who commits a crime will face the consequences."

Ms Constance said it was vital to tackle the root causes of violence.

She added: "We all must work together to help young people feel safe and realise that carrying a knife is never the answer."

But Scottish Conservatives justice spokesman Liam Kerr called the summit a "talking shop" and said stronger action was needed.

He added: "The scale of this problem demands immediate attention before more young lives are lost.

"Warm words and empty platitudes simply won't cut it when young Scots are living in fear."

Three teenage boys - aged 14, 15, and 16 - have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Amen, an Eritrean refugee, in Glasgow on 5 March.

Kayden Moy, of East Kilbride, was critically injured on Irvine Beach, North Ayrshire, on 17 May and died in hospital.

In recent weeks, three teenage boys - two aged 17 and a 14-year-old - have appeared in court charged with his murder.