The tonic wine Buckfast has been mentioned in 5,000 crime reports by Scotland’s biggest police force in the last three years, a BBC investigation revealed today.

Almost one in ten of those crimes in the Strathclyde Police force area was violent, according to figures obtained by the broadcaster under Freedom of Information legislation.

During that period the Buckfast bottle was used as a weapon 114 times.

Police said the figures suggested there is an association between Buckfast and violence.
The findings are revealed in the programme BBC Scotland Investigates: The Buckfast Code tonight.

A request for an interview with the monks of Buckfast Abbey to respond to the issues raised was turned down, the BBC said.

However Jim Wilson, from J.C Chandler, the distributors of the tonic wine in Scotland was interviewed.

When asked what would be the harm in reducing the caffeine level, Mr Wilson said: "Why should we? It’s been there for over eighty years. Why should we go about changing the recipe of something just to satisfy somebody’s whim?"

Mr Wilson also believes the Benedictine monks are not to blame for the effects of Buckfast in the outside world.

He said: "Why should they accept responsibility? They’re not up here pouring any of their Buckfast down somebody’s throat. People take it by choice because they like it, because it’s a good product."

Asked if the monks should accept any kind of moral responsibility, Mr Wilson said: "No, they produce a good product. Buckfast is an exceptionally good product. I drink it. Now, if I thought there was something wrong with it, would I drink it? The answer to that, certainly not."

• Full story at The Scotsman.

• Filed under Buckfast, Crime, Roman Catholic Church, Scottish Christian News Monitor.