PARENTS were today urged to help police crack down on booze-fuelled teenage gang fighting.

PARENTS were today urged to help police crack down on booze-fuelled teenage gang fighting.

Strathclyde Police want to encourage parents to ensure their children do not carry weapons or become involved in gang activity.

The latest phase of the Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign will focus on parental responsibility and strengthening links between police and communities.

All the force's divisions will be asked to assess levels of alcohol-related violence and draw up plans to reduce them.

Chief Inspector Andy McKay, the campaign co-ordinator, said: "We want parents to make sure that when their child leaves the house, he or she is carrying only a wallet and mobile phone and nothing else."

People will be encouraged to report shops that sell booze to under-18s, highlight gang behaviour, and take an active interest in how their children spend time outside school.

Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, head of Scotland's violence reduction unit, said: "I am sick of speaking to parents who say they have not seen their son for a few days after he went out gang fighting.

"There is a feeling among communities that enough is enough. However, it is a big step from saying: we won't stand for this anymore,' to actually engaging with police.

"Everyone has a role to play in this. Everyone should be taking responsibility."

In October, the Violence Reduction Unit will run a "communities against knives campaign". People stopped and searched for weapons will be handed a card listing the punishments for carrying a knife.

Meanwhile, the link between weapons, alcohol and violence was being discussed today at a national conference in Edinburgh.

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was addressing The Weapons And Alcohol Fuelled Violence Summit, along with Jack Law, of Alcohol Focus Scotland, and Willie Caie, of the Glasgow-based Alcohol Action Group.

TIMESFILE

• Glasgow has more than 110 teenage territorial gangs.
  
• During a month-long blade amnesty last year, 12,000 weapons were surrendered, with 6704 put in collection bins in Glasgow and west Scotland.
  
• More than 1000 patients a year are sent for facial surgery in Glasgow hospitals after being slashed.
  
• Almost half of Scotland's prisoners committed their crimes while drunk.

These horrific real-life images from Strathclyde Police, which the Evening Times published earlier this month, show the true toll of street violence