Young men in Scotland are carrying knives to boost their status on social media, a leading expert has warned. Dr David Smith, a social psychology expert at Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University, believes youths in gangs are provoking violent confrontations by boasting about their weapons online.
Zero-Tolerance Approach Demanded
The Scottish Government is facing demands to reintroduce a zero-tolerance approach to knife crime following the shocking murder of teenager Kayden Moy on an Ayrshire beach. One of his killers had previously walked free from court despite being caught carrying a machete.
Dr Smith said: “Violent crime among young people in Scotland is actually decreasing, though weapon carrying is up – particularly among boys. Looking at the killers of Kayden Moy, there’s evidence of them posing online with weapons, including machetes, implying they were doing it for status or notoriety.”
Social Media Amplifies Violence
He added: “This wasn’t something they kept to themselves – they were proud of it. It was a way that they could get noticed and threaten others. Moreover, they can build a reputation and clout by having others see their videos, amplifying their presence. Social media facilitates and can escalate violence too – one of Kayden’s killers directly threatened him over social media.”
Prosecution guidelines introduced in 2012 were intended to ensure that even first-time offenders found in possession of a knife would almost certainly face jail. But since 2022, only a third of knife possession charges and less than a fifth of offensive weapons charges have been handled by senior courts, and hundreds of cases have been dropped.
Rise in Knife Possession Among Youth
Before Kayden’s murder, his attackers had used Instagram and Facebook to brandish weapons and send explicit threats of physical harm. Knife possession among 11 to 15-year-olds has risen by 15 per cent over the past five years. Figures also show incidents involving offensive weapons in schools rose by 16 per cent in 2024-25, increasing from 231 to 267 cases – the highest since separate records began in 2017-18.
Dr Smith added: “Gang violence is also made more likely by cuts to public services that can engage or educate young people. Another factor we can’t ignore is social deprivation; as the cost of living goes up and people struggle more, we see an increased risk of young men carrying out crimes that involve knives, such as robbery. It isn’t just about being poorer, but also about feeling poorer: if struggling young men have a constant stream of people living the good life online, they’re going to look for alternative ways to get there.”
Kayden Moy Murder Case
The death of amateur footballer Kayden came amid a dispute between rival gangs. Earlier this month, Jay Stewart, 18, and a 15-year-old boy who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were convicted of Kayden’s murder at the High Court in Glasgow. Stewart was subject to a community payback order at the time of the murder after avoiding being locked up despite having been caught with a machete. Their co-accused, Cole Turley, 18, had earlier admitted murdering Kayden during a gang-related confrontation involving youths from East Kilbride following a dispute on Irvine Beach in Ayrshire.
