Alcohol behind ‘most violence’

Most violence in the west of Scotland is caused by alcohol, the head of Scotland’s largest police force said. Stephen House, Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, said Scots need help to tackle their drinking problem, even though that may smack of the “nanny state”. He raised concerns about the amount people drink in the home where violence can flare because there is no “level of control” as there is in pubs.

Chief Constable House told Real Radio:

“Virtually all violence in the west of Scotland has got some link to drink. The main contributors are cheap vodka from the supermarkets and lager and cider.

“We’ve all seen it: someone goes into one of the big supermarket chains at six o’clock, seven o’clock at night and comes out with a slab of lager.

“Does that look like sensible drinking? If it’s for him and his 23 mates then maybe it is, but if it’s for him and two other people then it’s not sensible.

“We are spending our time managing unacceptable behaviour by the whole nation but certainly in the west of Scotland police are dealing day-in, day-out with people who have had far too much to drink.”

Mr House told the station that he doesn’t believe, as a nation, Scotland is able to selfregulate its drink.

He said: “We need to have it done for us. Now that might be a bit of a nanny state but I think it’s necessary in the first couple of stages for the state to step in and say no, sorry, the £3 billion a year we’re spending on drink-related problems in health and in violence and social care is just money we can’t afford to spend any more.

“We’ve got to do something about it. It’s got to be cut back. The police can do their bit but we cannot solve the problem.”