60% in favour of metal detectors in Scotland schools in wake of Bailey Gwynne case

Three in five people believe that metal detectors should be installed in all of Scotland’s schools, a poll has found.

The YouGov study for The Times found 60% of people support the devices being fitted to help crack down on weapons being brought onto school premises.

Just under a third, 30%, opposed the move while 10% did not express a view.

Women and older voters were found to be particularly in favour of the idea, the newspaper reported.

The poll comes just days after a teenager who stabbed 16-year-old Bailey Gwynne to death during a “trivial” row at an Aberdeen school was convicted of culpable homicide.

Bailey died from a knife wound to the chest in the fight at Cults Academy on October 28 last year.

A 16-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted by a jury at the city’s High Court on Monday.

The killer was also found guilty of other charges of having a knife and knuckledusters at the school.

Judge Lady Stacey deferred sentencing until April 1 in Edinburgh.

Aberdeen City Council is conducting a review in the wake of the death to see what lessons can be learnt.

Researchers quizzed 1,070 adults in Scotland between March 7 and 9 for the study.