Killings in Scotland rose in 2018 with 61 people losing lives to violent crime

The number of killings rose across Scotland last year with 61 people losing their lives as a result of a .

Nearly half of the victims were killed by a sharp instrument including knives, swords and screwdrivers.

The large majority of victims were men who were killed by someone they knew and among the female victims, 60% were killed by a partner or ex-partner.

More than a fifth of the recorded homicide cases occurred in Glasgow.

Nearly half the victims were killed by sharp weapons including knives and screwdrivers. (PA)

The government statistics, released on Tuesday, showed that despite rising by 2% homicides were at the third-lowest level since 1976.

And the long-term trend over the last decade shows a 25% drop in homicides - the number of cases decreased from 80 in 2009-2010 to 60 in 2018-2019.

The Scottish government said it was “working to ensure that victims’ interests are at the heart of our criminal justice system”.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the government was investing £18m a year in victim support services to help tackle trauma.

Despite the rise, homicides are at their third lowest level since 1976. (Daily Record)

He said: “While the number of homicides in Scotland is significantly lower than a decade ago - in line with the overall fall in crime - any death is one too many.

“We are determined to help people break free from cycles of violence.

“We will continue our efforts to drive down violent crime - both through supporting prevention work with people of all ages and ensuring Scotland’s law enforcement agencies and courts have the resources to deal with those who harm others.”