A sharp increase in the number of young people found carrying knives in Scotland has renewed concerns about the persistence of knife culture among youth, despite previous high-profile cases intended as wake-up calls. New figures released show a nearly 60% rise in under-18s apprehended by police with knives during the 2025/26 period, compared to the previous year. Police recorded 145 instances of youngsters, some as young as 11, possessing blades, an increase from 91 in 2024/25.
This rise in encounters with young knife carriers has occurred even as the overall number of police stop-and-searches decreased by almost 10% in 2025/26. David Kennedy of the Scottish Police Federation suggested that diminished stop-and-search powers may be contributing to officers being less able to intervene proactively, stating, "We don't have the same powers of stop and search... We need to get back to preventing and the only way you do that is getting the police back into communities."
The issue is underscored by several recent cases. In October 2021, 14-year-old Justin McLaughlin died after being stabbed through the heart by a 16-year-old he had never met. Six years prior, 16-year-old Bailey Gwynne was fatally stabbed in a school corridor. More recently, in May 2024, 16-year-old Kory McCrimmon was killed in Glasgow after a confrontation stemming from a £50 debt, involving a 13-year-old who had exchanged threats on social media. In September of the same year, 22-year-old John McNab was fatally stabbed with a large knife in Edinburgh by a 17-year-old who was out on bail for a previous assault.
Many of the weapons used in these incidents were purchased online. For instance, the knife used in the attack on John McNab was available from UK websites for approximately £44. The 16-year-old involved in the confrontation that led to Amen Teklay's death in March 2025 reportedly bought his weapon online for £40. A concerning pattern has emerged where young individuals pose with weapons on social media, sometimes the same ones used in subsequent crimes. This behaviour is being analyzed by experts who suggest it may be an attempt by some teenagers to curate an idealized, more confident, or threatening online persona to gain respect or attention.
Dr. David Smith, a social psychology expert at Robert Gordon University, noted that social media allows teenagers to control their image and that gaining "clout by posing with weapons online" can act as a form of validation. He believes social media can provide a platform where knife culture is expressed and others are incentivized to participate for perceived protection or power.
Despite overall youth violence reportedly decreasing, incidents involving offensive weapons in schools have risen, reaching a record high of 267 cases in 2024/25. As a response, 'bleed kits' containing emergency equipment to manage severe blood loss are being introduced into Scottish schools. This initiative has been met with support but also criticism, with some arguing it highlights a failure to address the root causes of youth violence and weapon possession.
Calls for policy changes include strengthening police powers, particularly in knife crime hotspots, and closing loopholes in online sales regulations. There is also a demand for social media companies to take more responsibility for the content that appears on their platforms, particularly when it glamorizes violence or the possession of weapons. The ongoing debate centers on how to effectively deter young people from carrying knives and address the cultural factors that contribute to this dangerous trend.