Criminals convicted of carrying a knife spend half as much time behind bars in England and Wales than those convicted of the same offence in Scotland, where violence involving knives has fallen, analysis has revealed.
Research by The Sunday Telegraph also found almost half of repeat offenders in England are not given an immediate custodial sentence, despite a pledge to crack down on those found with a knife more than once.
A study by this newspaper compared the way knife crime is tackled in Scotland and in England and Wales after data revealed forces north of the border have successfully cut knife crime dramatically over the last ten years.
It revealed someone convicted of possession of a knife...