Kids, 9, caught

Shock after youngsters found with weapons

CHILDREN as young as nine have been caught carrying potentially lethal weapons on Dundee’s streets, the Tele can reveal today.

An investigation has unveiled dozens of youngsters under the age of 16 have been found in possession of weapons in the last two years.

As well as knives and other bladed or pointed items, kids have also been caught with weapons such as baseball bats, axes, hammers, a sledgehammer — and even a police baton.

Two boys aged nine were found to be carrying blades in Ardler and Kirkton.

A girl aged 11 was also caught with a similar weapon in the Hilltown.

The majority of children found with weapons were male — but four were girls.

A total of 38 kids have been caught by police with such items in the last two years.

The worst police beats for weapons incidents involving children include Charleston, Kirkton, the city centre and the West End.

Stephen Cragg, secretary of the Kirkton Community Partnership, said: “It is a concern for everybody, but I think what is i mportant is the response.

“Schools do work with the local policing team having events to raise awareness about issues.

“These things will happen but it’s about how we react and we are very Stephen Cragg pleased with our community policing team. “It’s an issue t hat is tackled at the partnership meetings which are always attended by someone from the local policing team. “I think Kirkton’s figures could be the highest because we have two primary schools and two secondaries, so we have a lot of children per head of the population.”

When told an 11-year-old had a blade in the Hilltown, Alan Duncan, manager of Grey Lodge, a youth and community-based charity in the area, said: “Goodness gracious.

“This issue could be caused by what youths see as a lack of opportunity but there’s places like the Maxwell Centre and Grey Lodge and other youth projects that children are welcome in.

“There are hotspots of trouble in the Hilltown but I think behaviour is generally very good.

“I don’t think technology is the be all and end all of helping youngsters — let’s get out there and socialise and be active.”

The figures were revealed following a freedom of information request to Police Scotland, in which a statement said: “Within Police Scotland we take all incidents involving weapons seriously and we are working closely with our partners, and through education, to highlight the dangers of carrying weapons.

“Possession of an offensive weapon

Examples of some of the weapons that children have been caught with in Dundee including knives, a police