Fife family maintain pressure for knife crime clampdown

Family and friends of a Burntisland man who died after being stabbed are urging people to give knife crime the thumbs-down.

Since Barry McLean’s death almost four years ago, his family have campaigned for harsher penalties for knife crime and raised awareness of the dangers of carrying knives.

They have launched a social media drive called Thumbs Down 2 Knife Crime where people post photographs of themselves giving the thumbs-down.

Barry’s father Alan said: “We have already received support from Dame Kelly Holmes and many others and we shall be gathering support from Police Scotland, schools, businesses and others to get the message out into our community.”

Supporters gathered on Sunday at Burntisland’s Beacon Leisure Centre to spread the word.

Barry was only 27 when he died on May 28 2011 and left behind a baby son.