KIDS as young as ten have been caught with drugs, knives and stolen gear, “deeply disturbing” data shows.
Cops are making the frightening discoveries up to three times a day on the streets of Scotland.
And the official figures also reveal that 123 weapons were taken from young people under 18 between last April and September.
This is the equivalent of one every two days.
In one incident in Fife, a 14-year-old had a gun.
Elsewhere, kids of 12 had class B drugs or weapons, a ten-year-old had a blade.
And girls and boys aged 13 were caught with stolenwine, spirits and cigarettes.
One 14-year-old lad had class-A drugs on him.
The fact that children still young enough to play with toys are walking around with potential murder weapons is deeply disturbing
MSP Katy Clark
Scottish Labour’s community safety spokeswoman, Katy Clark MSP, said: “The fact that children still young enough to play with toys are walking around with potential murder weapons is deeply disturbing.”
The data was published in the latest edition of justice and socialaffairs magazine 1919.
We told how the number of Scots school pupils caught with weapons has risen by 50 per cent in the last three years.
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr accused Nats ministers of being “asleep at the wheel”.
The Scottish Government said overall crime has dropped 40 per cent since 2006/07.
A spokesman added: “It is unacceptable that any child has weapons, drugs or stolen goods.
