CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed a move towards longer jail sentences for knife crime following calls from the family of teenage murder victim Reamonn Gormley.
Mr Gormley, 19, was stabbed to death in a unprovoked attack in his home town of Blantyre a year ago this week.
Since then, his family have tirelessly campaigned for harsher punishments for knife-wielding criminals – including changes to the way multiple sentences may be served concurrently instead of consecutively.
The Scottish Government is now considering changing the law to allow judges to impose consecutive sentences when an accused has been released on licence.
Mr Gormley's killer, Daryn Maxwell, would still have been locked up if the move – dubbed Reamonn's Law – was in place when the teenager was murdered on February 1, last year.
Anne-Marie McKay, Mr Gormley's aunt, said: "We are just an ordinary family who felt we had a moral duty to raise this because of the incredible pain we feel.
"Reamonn didn't do anything to invite or cause his death. We want the law fixed so people who habitually carry knives will face serious sentences. If Maxwell had got a consecutive sentence, he wouldn't have been out to do what he did to Reamonn. Our law should be tempered by mercy, but not for the habitual criminal who goes out to hurt someone."
The family made the proposal at a meeting with the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland and Justice Secretary Kenny McAskill.
Mr Mulholland has since written to the family, saying: "We discussed the inability of judges to impose a consecutive sentence on an accused who has been released on licence under the existing legislation, and this has also been raised with justice officials at the Scottish Government to consider a change in the law to allow consecutive sentencing to be imposed in these circumstances."
The Gormley family also want the Government to consider introducing mandatory custody and no bail for habitual weapon users, and for knife crime to be considered an aggravated offence and receive tougher penalties.
John Tierney, founder of Lanarkshire-based anti-knife group Campaign for Change, yesterday backed the family and welcomed the move towards consecutive sentences.
He said: "Obviously myself and the other Campaign for Change members would see this as a positive step forward in tackling knife crime.
"Any kind of step towards tougher laws and sentencing is something we would welcome and we hope this might also encourage the Government to look at introducing a mandatory sentence for carrying a knife."
Campaigner John Muir, whose son Damian was killed after being stabbed eight times, added: "I think it's absolutely brilliant that this family has came out to take action against knife crime.
"Our family was just like the Gormleys. We were very close and we stood by each other and campaigned for tougher sentencing and I think it's magnificent that the Government is now considering a change in the law.
"I would honestly pray that the officials decide to implement the change so that knife offenders can be locked up for longer."
Former Ayrshire justice of the peace Caroline Johnstone resigned after Mr Gormley's case in a protest over the lack of powers available to the judiciary.
She claimed the case was the "final straw" and now campaigns for tougher sentencing powers.
Ms Johnstone said: "At least this now means sentences are likely to be consecutive rather than concurrent. And it's not just the families of victims who will be delighted with this, it's people in general who are fed up hearing about knife attacks. We have to send a message that it is unacceptable, and this goes some way towards doing that."
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "Following the Justice Secretary's meeting with the Gormley family, we are considering the issues raised."
Maxwell, 23, and co-accused Barry Smith, 19, killed Mr Gormley as he walked home along Glasgow Road, Blantyre, after watching a football match.
Maxwell was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years, while Smith was jailed for eight years for culpable homicide.
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