Father of Kory McCrimmon leads march to end knife crime

Hundreds of people have taken part in a march against knife crime in Glasgow.

Parents Against Knives, founded by the family of Kory McCrimmon, said they wanted to highlight the increase in deaths and serious injuries involving weapons among young people.

Kory died aged 16 after being stabbed in the east end of Glasgow in May last year. A 14-year-old boy has since been sentenced to five years detention after admitting culpable homicide over his death.

Kory's dad, Neil McCrimmon, said he did not want his son's death to "be in vain".

About 200 people turned out for the walk on Sunday, which left from outside Rangers' Ibrox Stadium and ended at Celtic's home ground, Celtic Park.

Kory was stabbed in the heart by his attacker following an argument over £50 in Greenfield Park on 31 May last year.

He was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital but died on 2 June.

Speaking ahead of the march, Mr McCrimmon said he was "proud" to be Kory's dad but implored first minister John Swinney to hand police greater powers to deal with young people involved in knife-related violence.

He told BBC Scotland News: "This is about the kids.

"It's children we are talking about here. Who is saving the children from the children? That is the question.

"There is no deterrent. The cops don't give them any deterrent. They are going out, thinking they can stab someone and it's alright, but it's not, something needs to change."

During a plea hearing, it emerged Kory and his killer had been known "rivals" who were associated with different gangs.

The 14-year-old was sentenced over Kory's death in May.

Days later, Kayden Moy, 16, was stabbed to death on Irvine Beach in North Ayrshire.

A 14-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys have appeared in court charged with murder following his death.

That came just months after another teenager, Amen Teklay, who was 15, was stabbed and killed in Glasgow's St George's Cross.

Two boys aged 14 and 16 have appeared in court charged with his murder.

Speaking outside Ibrox, Kory's brother Jamie described Kory as a "fun-loving, kind-hearted and mischievous young boy" who had "so much more to live for".

He described the circumstances around his death as a "senseless burden" for his family, adding he did not want others to go through the same experience.

"Even in the last year, there have been so many other families affected by knife crime and so many young lives have been cut short and our heart goes out to everyone in the same position as us," he said.

"The walk today is to prove that through all the anger, violence and pain, we can stand together peacefully and set the example to be better.

"Losing Kory is one of the hardest things I have every had to go through but I want his death not to be in vain."

Lucas Dunsmore, 16, was among the crowd marching and said issues with knife crime among young people had become "really bad" in recent years.

"There's no benefit to carrying them [knives], apart from taking lives away that shouldn't be taken away," he said.

"It's really bad. Knife crime has went right up. I don't think there's any benefit to carrying them."

Maureen Douglass joined the march to represent her son, PJ Douglass, who was stabbed and killed aged 20 in East Kilbride in 2011.

About 300 people marched through the streets of the town in the wake of his death against knife crime 14 years ago.

She said she was "saddened" to be on another march for a young person who had lost their life.

"It's very sad. We're always keeping track of the news when we hear someone has died and when the march will be, because there will always be a march.

"We need to show support to the other families. When this march ends and the other families go home, nobody offers support, we just wait until the next march."

Swinney announced plans to hold a youth violence summit earlier this month.

The Scottish government also 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.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: "Too many lives are being devastated by knife crime in Scotland.

"Behind every statistic, hundreds of lives are irreversibly impacted with tragic consequences for everyone involved; family, friends, siblings, school mates, and the wider communities in which we all live."

Responding to the march, the first minister said: "As a father, I find the thought of any parent having to endure the grief and trauma of losing a child to knife crime utterly heartbreaking.

"Glasgow is united and Scotland is united in wanting these horrific incidents to stop. We owe it to every family affected to take meaningful action.

"That's why we have increased investment in prevention, support and enforcement; from record funding for Police Scotland to vital work by Medics Against Violence and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit."

He added: "We stand with the families marching and we are committed to driving the change that keeps our young people safe."