City singled out as homicide cases rise

THE number of homicide cases recorded by police in Scotland rose slightly in 2019 from the previous year – with Glasgow reporting a disproportionately large amount, despite a reduction in recent years.

Cases in Scotland rose from 62 to 64 between 2018 and 2019, though the figures remain among the lowest since the 1970s.

A Scottish Government report released yesterday set out statistics on homicide cases recorded by police, which include crimes of murder and culpable homicide, and can have multiple perpetrators or victims.

Homicide cases have fallen by about a third since 2010 and have remained relatively stable with between 59 and 64 each year since 2012.

Of the 2019 figures, 45 of the 64 victims were men and 19 were women.

Just over a third of the female victims were killed by a current or former partner while 43% of the male victims were killed by someone they knew. More than half of all victims were killed with a sharp instrument, most commonly a knife.

Of the 76 accused connected to the homicides, 70 were men and six were women.

More than half of the accused were said to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crime while 49% of victims were said to have been killed in drug- related cases.

The report noted that Glasgow had a disproportionately large number of homicides despite the significant fall in recent years.

It said: “In 2019- 20, Glasgow city had the highest number of homicide cases, representing 19% of the Scottish total.

“Glasgow city has a higher share of homicides compared to its population ( with 12% of the Scottish population in 2019).

“Glasgow city has also witnessed a relatively larger fall in homicides of 54% since 2010- 11, accounting for over two- fifths ( 41%) of the overall national decrease.”