Tougher penalty for carrying knives

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The toughening up of community service - renamed Community Payback - will give new powers to judges.

Anyone sentenced to the maximum of 300 hours for carrying a bladed weapon will effectively be forced to work full time to carry out their sentence.

If successful the "intensive blocks" may be extended to cover other crimes, Justice Minister David Hanson said.

Local people will also have the opportunity to suggest tasks for criminals to carry out as part of their sentence on new community panels.

The moves follow Prime Minister Gordon Brown's promise that community service would be "tough, visible and effective".

Ministers say effective community punishments are more effective than short jail sentences at cutting reoffending.

Mr Hanson said: "Offenders sentenced to 'pay' for their crimes within the community can already expect to work hard and lose much of their free time.

"By introducing intensive five-days-a-week payback for many knife crime offenders we are further toughening these punishments. It is important that the public can see and influence the work that is being carried out by offenders in their neighbourhoods."

Community service punishments include renovating community buildings, picking up litter and clearing waste ground.