Tough knife laws failing, says Tory

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Judges can imprison anyone caught carrying a knife in public up to a maximum of four years.

But in the year to September only one person out of 3,700 caught with a knife was given the maximum term, Tories have complained.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling, who uncovered the figures in parliamentary answers, said ministers were sending out the wrong message.

He said: "It's demoralising for the victims of knife crime if there is an expectation of a tough sentence for offenders which doesn't materialise in reality.

"We have to create a real disincentive for people who carry knives, and the fact that the supposed tough sentences just aren't happening sends out all the wrong messages."

The figures revealed that of the 3,713 people sentenced for custody for carrying a knife in England and Wales more than half were jailed for three months or less. And only one in six received a sentence of more than six months.

The maximum term was doubled to four years in February 2007, but has barely been used despite a string of high profile stabbings and public fears over the dangers of knives. No-one was jailed for the maximum term in 2007.

Justice minister David Hanson said more knife carriers were being jailed and fewer were being given cautions.

He said: "The Government strongly believes that sentencing in individual cases is rightly a matter for the courts - this is a cornerstone of our justice system. Our figures show more people are going to jail for carrying knives and that they are getting longer sentences."