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| Why I investigated Buckfast wine | Why I investigated Buckfast wine |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A BBC Scotland investigation into Buckfast Tonic Wine has uncovered new evidence about links between the drink and violence. | A BBC Scotland investigation into Buckfast Tonic Wine has uncovered new evidence about links between the drink and violence. |
| It has led to calls for the monks who produce Buckfast to make it available in plastic bottles rather than glass. | It has led to calls for the monks who produce Buckfast to make it available in plastic bottles rather than glass. |
| By Kenneth Macdonald Special correspondent, BBC Scotland | |
| Buckfast tasting at Harvey Nichols | |
| This investigation had no agenda. | This investigation had no agenda. |
| Rather than start from the standpoint that this humble tonic wine was a "bad thing", we simply wanted to find out why it had acquired a reputation, particularly in the central belt, as Scotland's "commotion lotion". | Rather than start from the standpoint that this humble tonic wine was a "bad thing", we simply wanted to find out why it had acquired a reputation, particularly in the central belt, as Scotland's "commotion lotion". |
| What became clear was that Buckfast is a cultural phenomenon with an impact far greater than its tiny share of the Scottish drinks market would suggest. | What became clear was that Buckfast is a cultural phenomenon with an impact far greater than its tiny share of the Scottish drinks market would suggest. |
| We asked Strathclyde Police about the drink using the Freedom Of Information Act. | We asked Strathclyde Police about the drink using the Freedom Of Information Act. |
| They told us that Buckfast was mentioned in more than 5,000 crime reports over the last three years. | They told us that Buckfast was mentioned in more than 5,000 crime reports over the last three years. |
| That works out as an average of about three offences a day. | That works out as an average of about three offences a day. |
| More worryingly one in 10 of those offences was a violent one. | |
| Supt Bob Hamilton works in the force's violence reduction unit | Supt Bob Hamilton works in the force's violence reduction unit |
| I spoke to Supt Bob Hamilton of Strathclyde Police's violence reduction unit, who says the figures show there is an association with violence. | I spoke to Supt Bob Hamilton of Strathclyde Police's violence reduction unit, who says the figures show there is an association with violence. |
| "The figures are fairly clear that Buckfast is mentioned in a number of crime reports," he says. | "The figures are fairly clear that Buckfast is mentioned in a number of crime reports," he says. |
| "Over the period requested the Buckfast bottle was used 114 times as a weapon." | "Over the period requested the Buckfast bottle was used 114 times as a weapon." |
| This echoes a study carried out in 2007 at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. | This echoes a study carried out in 2007 at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. |
| It found that of those offenders who had been drinking immediately before their offence, more than 40% had been drinking Buckfast. | It found that of those offenders who had been drinking immediately before their offence, more than 40% had been drinking Buckfast. |
| The man who conducted that research, Alasdair Forsyth, says the findings were remarkable. | The man who conducted that research, Alasdair Forsyth, says the findings were remarkable. |
| "This is a product, a brand which unusually for any product, is always trumpeting how few units they sell, that they sell less than half of 1% of all the alcohol in Scotland," he says. | "This is a product, a brand which unusually for any product, is always trumpeting how few units they sell, that they sell less than half of 1% of all the alcohol in Scotland," he says. |
| Chris Henery had to get 34 stitches in his head after being hit by a bottle | Chris Henery had to get 34 stitches in his head after being hit by a bottle |
| "So it begs the question why should it be that 43% of violent offences, or offences involving alcohol and young offenders should be that one product." | "So it begs the question why should it be that 43% of violent offences, or offences involving alcohol and young offenders should be that one product." |
| Buckfast's distribution company, J Chandler & Co, denies there is any causal link between crime and the wine. | Buckfast's distribution company, J Chandler & Co, denies there is any causal link between crime and the wine. |
| But there are further concerns over its packaging. | But there are further concerns over its packaging. |
| Buckfast comes in a glass bottle. And the worry is that its association with violence might mean that the bottle is available as a weapon. | Buckfast comes in a glass bottle. And the worry is that its association with violence might mean that the bottle is available as a weapon. |
| Chris Henery was travelling on a bus when he was confronted by a young man with a bottle of Buckfast. | Chris Henery was travelling on a bus when he was confronted by a young man with a bottle of Buckfast. |
| "He starts sort of hitting it off of the cushion of the seat," Chris told me. | "He starts sort of hitting it off of the cushion of the seat," Chris told me. |
| "And I'm just kind of tensing up, like he's right in my way and I can't get by him basically. And then he just smashes the bottle off one of the green poles. | "And I'm just kind of tensing up, like he's right in my way and I can't get by him basically. And then he just smashes the bottle off one of the green poles. |
| "And that's when he hit me there. I didn't really feel it at the time. | "And that's when he hit me there. I didn't really feel it at the time. |
| "Then I turned round," he said, "and that's when I noticed the blood. I thought it was my nose because I couldn't really feel anything. | "Then I turned round," he said, "and that's when I noticed the blood. I thought it was my nose because I couldn't really feel anything. |
| Jim Wilson said plastic bottles could be trialled if the government paid for it | Jim Wilson said plastic bottles could be trialled if the government paid for it |
| "It's not my nose and I just kind of felt that whole bit of my head just hanging off." | "It's not my nose and I just kind of felt that whole bit of my head just hanging off." |
| Three years on, Chris thinks Buckfast could adopt a simple solution. | Three years on, Chris thinks Buckfast could adopt a simple solution. |
| "If it was in a plastic bottle at the time then the guys wouldn't have a weapon on them and I probably wouldn't have 34 stitches in my head," he says. | "If it was in a plastic bottle at the time then the guys wouldn't have a weapon on them and I probably wouldn't have 34 stitches in my head," he says. |
| But Jim Wilson, the spokesman for J Chandler & Co, says the company will be sticking with glass because the cost of changing to plastic would be "horrendous". | But Jim Wilson, the spokesman for J Chandler & Co, says the company will be sticking with glass because the cost of changing to plastic would be "horrendous". |
| "We have said to the government if they think it's such a major problem you fund it and we'll be happy to put a product in a trial and if it works, then we'll put all our sizes into it," he says. | "We have said to the government if they think it's such a major problem you fund it and we'll be happy to put a product in a trial and if it works, then we'll put all our sizes into it," he says. |
| "They probably take the first thing to hand. It so happens if it's a Buckfast bottle, it's a Buckfast bottle. | "They probably take the first thing to hand. It so happens if it's a Buckfast bottle, it's a Buckfast bottle. |
| "It could be a whisky bottle, it could be a gin bottle, it could be any kind of bottle as long as it's handy." | "It could be a whisky bottle, it could be a gin bottle, it could be any kind of bottle as long as it's handy." |
| The Buckfast Code is on BBC One Scotland at 1930 GMT on Monday 18 January | The Buckfast Code is on BBC One Scotland at 1930 GMT on Monday 18 January |