EDINBURGH, Scotland, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Homicide rates in Scotland have soared and authorities blame most of them on alcohol and the use of a sharp weapon.
There were 137 homicides this year, or 29 more than in 2003-04, the highest annual total since 1995-96, The Times of London reports.
Authorities say in 75 percent of the cases, the main accused was known to the victim, and as in previous years, a knife or other sharp instrument was the weapon used.
In 127 cases where the physical and mental state of the alleged killer was known, 45 percent were drunk, 15 percent were both drunk and on drugs, and 10 percent were on drugs, the report said.
Glasgow has now become the murder capital of Scotland, with 55 victims per million of population compared with 22 for the whole of Scotland.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said new laws have been introduced such as tougher penalties for carrying knives and licensing curbs on binge drinking.
In September, a World Health Organization report claimed Scotland had the second highest murder rate in Western Europe after Finland.
