A WARNING has been issued to festive revellers about the lifelong consequences a punch can cause.

Police Scotland has joined forces with medics to reinforce the message of the One Punch campaign ahead of the busy festive period. This weekend and next will see more demand on the force with revellers hitting the city centre for Christmas party nights.

The campaign, which was launched again at The Garage nightclub in Glasgow, comes as figures reveal that six people in Scotland died as a result of a single punch between April, 2017 and March 2018. Many more suffered long-term injuries.

On four of those occasions, the person responsible was under 18, and also on four of those occasions they were under the influence of alcohol.

A Scottish Crime and Justice Survey, carried out recently by the Scottish Government, also revealed that 18 to 24 year olds are most likely to be victims of a violent crime, and that violence is more likely to occur in urban environments. Three-quarters of recorded violent crimes in the year 2016 to 17 took place in public places, nearly 10 per cent close to a pub or club.

Police Scotland say throwing a single punch can have devastating consequences. Just one punch can cause life changing injuries and even death. A moment of aggression, whether unprovoked or in self-defence, can result in a lifetime of consequences, regret and guilt. If you find yourself involved in a fight, Police Scotland’s advice is to walk away. It could save your life.

Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said: “We want to highlight that a drunken disagreement or an argument that gets out of hand can have long-term consequences for the victim and the accused.

“I want people to enjoy themselves on nights out but at the same time, think about how much alcohol they are consuming and the effect it has on their actions.

“We get less inhibited when drinking and can become more aggressive, but a split-second, ill-informed decision can end someone’s life, and leave the perpetrator facing a long jail sentence, effectively ruining two peoples’ lives and their families’ lives.”

People who suffer a brain injury as a result of violence are much more likely to develop addictions and get depressed. That depression is more likely to be resistant to treatment, and sadly many of these people take their own lives. Even a single concussion can double the chances of suicide in six months.

Dr Michael Murray, a Director of Medics Against Violence and Consultant Neuro-anaesthetist at the Institute for Neuro Science, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Glasgow, said: “If you do survive a head injury, you’re twice as likely to be disabled. Some people are left unable to speak, some are unable to swallow, there can be visual problems and a lot of victims are left in a wheelchair or severely disabled.

“For those planning a night out in the next few months I’d say, look after your brain. You wouldn’t drop your laptop onto the pavement from six feet up. You can get that repaired or replaced, you can’t do that with your brain. If you damage your brain that’s it, there’s no alternative.”

Glasgow Times:

For more information on the campaign, visit http://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/personal-safety/one-punch/