By Steve Bargeton, political editor

ANGRY FIFE schoolchildren have organised one of the biggest petitions ever seen at the Scottish Parliament—demanding a crackdown on violent crime.

A delegation from St Columba’s High School, Dunfermline, will meet MSPs on Parliament’s petitions committee today calling for a review of sentencing policy on violent crime.

They have been backed by a signatures from almost 1400 people thanks to 14-year-old Sarah Ner who decided to act after she was shocked by a TV news report of a child abuse trial.

“I was watching the news and saw an item about a little boy who had been molested for six years but the sentence that was given was a very little amount of time,” she said. “It didn’t seem fair and I wanted to do something to change that.”

Sarah and her classmates knew about Parliament’s petitions committee through their work in the modern studies class and—although they are all too young to vote—they went to work.

With the help of Dunfermline West MSP Scott Barrie and Parliament staff they spent a Saturday afternoon in the pouring rain in Dunfermline, collecting signatures.

One of those who took part, Raylene Ford (14), said, “A lot of my friends have been abused and nothing has been done about it.

“We want people to stop abusing children and we want the punishment to fit the crime. We are asking MSPs to fix a rate that criminals are going to go to jail for and fix a sentence that fits the crime and we want other children to see that we are trying to change things and that we have got a voice.”

Modern studies teacher at St Columba’s, Keith Thomas, said he is proud of the efforts of his class.

“They have a social conscience,” he said.

“Unlike some of the bad publicity that youngsters get, these kids have a real feeling for youngsters across the land. Like any school community, we have got one or two people who are beyond the pale but the vast majority are tarred with the same brush as that tiny minority.

“I am very proud of the work they have done. It shows they can come to school, learn and take advantage of what they are being taught about this key part of what the Parliament is about.”