“It is important that everyone is aware that, on occasion, such incidents do occur within our communities.

“Equally, these issues must not be sensationalised in a way that presents a distorted view of the true situation and raises public fear and alarm about the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime.

“As these statistics make clear, incidents of children under the age of 16 being found in possession of an offensive weapon with a point or blade are not commonplace. In 2009, approximately two such weapons a month were seized by police in Dundee.

“People should also be reassured that serious assaults involving under-16s with weapons are extremely rare.

“The majority of weapons recovered are as a result of proactive searches, or when an individual has come to police attention on other matters and not as a result of being used to threaten or assault anyone.

“While Dundee, and Tayside as a whole, does not experience the same levels of crime involving knives and offensive weapons as other areas, we are not immune to the issue. People, whatever their age, need to be aware of the terrible dangers and likely consequences of carrying an offensive weapon.

“Use of an offensive weapon can result in serious and life-changing injuries and possibly even loss of life. That follows for any person who is threatened, or the aggressor themselves should their weapon be turned on them.

“There is no kudos in carrying a weapon on the streets, only heartbreak for those involved and a prison sentence for the offender.

“Such tragedies do not only affect those directly involved — they impact upon family and friends as well as the wider community and it is for these reasons that Tayside Police will continue to carry out operations and stop and search activities on an intelligence-led basis with the aim of reducing the numbers of weapons being carried.’’