Damian's Law - Help this become law.

[Gorbals Caley]

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On the 14th July 2007 our youngest son Damian Peter Muir was brutally murdered in a random and unprovoked knife attack in Greenock, Scotland. He was making his way home from his football clubs end-of-season awards presentation evening. His attacker approached to ask him the time. Damian was then subjected to a vicious and frenzied attack in which he was stabbed eight times. Seven stab wounds were in his back as he attempted to make his escape. ?Damo? was 34 years of age.

In the immediate aftermath, we as a family were advised that he was ?in the wrong place at the wrong time?. We feel this is a sad reflection of our present day society. Damian was not walking through a ghetto or a notorious no-go area. The attack took place in a heavily populated part of the town where decent folks should be able to go about their business without fear of violence. Are our home areas and local districts to be constantly intimidated by the ?neds? and yobbish thugs in this knife-culture?

During the course of the subsequent investigation, arrest and trial, some chilling information came to light. At the time of the attack, Damian?s killer had a criminal charge of stabbing pending. In the weeks leading up to the murder, a second and separate charge of causing disfigurement was served against him. In addition he had two previous convictions for knife possession. Surely enough to keep this dangerous individual off our streets? It seems not. He was free to kill our son.

We feel let down by a system which at the present time does not have the powers to prevent this type of travesty. It has shaken our family to the core. It has also made us determined to campaign for legislation which will begin to free our streets of the knife culture. To do this we wish to see mandatory sentencing for knife-carrying individuals.

Inverclyde Council and Damian?s Law: Proposing a mandatory sentence for carrying a knife or other dangerous weapon in public.

Mandatory sentencing has been discussed in political and media circles for a number of years now. The time for talking is over! It is now time to act. We feel that the introduction of mandatory sentencing will go some way to eradicating the knife-culture that prevails in our society today. Our local council in Inverclyde have expressed unanimous support for the implementation of mandatory sentencing. A recent poll conducted by The Greenock Telegraph found an overwhelming level of support from the public, with 95% in favour.

From a devastating event we believe something positive can grow, but we need your help to send a strong message to Scottish Parliament and the Judiciary. A message which underlines the public feeling that there should be a zero-tolerance approach towards knife carriers. They have no place on our streets.

Please show your support for Damian's Law by signing our online petition at the following address:

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[Johnboy]

It is totally unacceptable in our so-called judicial system that people like that can be at liberty to walk the streets.....

Johnboy's signed this one.

[Dmacca]

Good on you JB i have done the same and recorded my displeasure at a system that seems to come down more on the side of the criminal than the innocent.

[Scotty]

signed.

[jaggedthistle]

Signed - that is appalling.  How was he still on the streets???? :33: :33:

[Scotty]

I have stickied this after a request from one of our users.

[RichieKass]

i am in favor of this bill and have signed the petition, i am very sorry for your loss and support you 100%.

[little al]

Signed and a link on the cpfc.org BBS http://forums.cpfc.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=167956

Very sorry for your loss.