The buckfast Code - Lurganites beware!!

[supersarsfields]

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 has revealed. Skip related content
Related photos / videos Enlarge photo Almost one in 10 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.

During the programme Superintendent Bob Hamilton of Strathclyde Police was asked whether the figures mean that Buckfast can be said to be associated with violence.

He replied: "I think it's clear from the figures that there is an association there."

He added: "The figures are fairly clear that Buckfast is mentioned in a number of crime reports and over the period requested, the Buckfast bottle was used 114 times as a weapon."

Buckfast is produced by Benedictine monks in a Devon monastery.

The investigation also looks at the ingredients of the drink and how they may affect the behaviour of consumers, potentially making them anxious and aggressive if drunk in large quantities.

[Silky]

Why would anyone choose to drink this stuff? Apparently a glass has 5 times as much caffeine as a cup of strong coffee.

[Archie Mitchell]

charlie stubbs is fond of a bottle or 2 of this. He doesn't get violent though, he just loses all memory of what happens.

[haranguerer]

This is absolutely groundless and more than a little ridiculous unless there are comparisons - i.e. how many times are vodka, or whiskey, or beer bottles mentioned in police reports? i'd imagine there are far more attacks where beer bottles are used, given that in and around pubs they're much more widely available to be used as weapons than buckfast bottles.

[Archie Mitchell]

I know a boy who doesn't get served vodka in Portadown as it sends him clean mad. Bit unfair to single out the Buckfast drinkers.

[Hardy]

They need to deal with this at source. Arrest the monks!

[ziggysego]

They need to deal with this at source. Arrest the monks!

The English, the root of all our troubles!

[RMDrive]

Why would anyone choose to drink this stuff? Apparently a glass has 5 times as much caffeine as a cup of strong coffee.

You may have answered your own question.

[Che]

  checked the sky tv guide there, channel 971 at 7.30, could be interesting

[Dougal]

i know a lad whos an expert on drinking buckfast.il get him over hear later.id normally stop after a bottle of it,but it doesnt make me violent.

This is absolutely groundless and more than a little ridiculous unless there are comparisons - i.e. how many times are vodka, or whiskey, or beer bottles mentioned in police reports? i'd imagine there are far more attacks where beer bottles are used, given that in and around pubs they're much more widely available to be used as weapons than buckfast bottles.

i think thats the point,beer bottles are way more widely available,yet buckfast bottles are used in quite alot of cases.i suppose it depends on if 114 attacks is alot or not.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

There are regional variants in this connoissseurs' tipple, apparently. Small difference in alcohol content, but big difference in the caffeine content...

"Green bottle" Buckfast tonic wine, usually found in the United Kingdom

    * Red wine based aperitif (15%).
    * Sodium glycerophosphate, an emulsifier.
    * Dipotassium phosphate, a protein stabiliser
    * Disodium phosphate, a stabiliser and emulsifer.
    * Caffeine, 37.5mg/100ml (i.e. 0.0375 % w/v)
    * Vanillin

"Brown bottle" Buckfast variant, typically from Irish Republic

    * Red wine based aperitif (14.8%)
    * Sodium and potassium glycerophosphates - both measured at 0.65% w/v.
    * Disodium phosphate, a stabiliser and emulsifer.
    * Caffeine, 55mg/100ml (i.e. 0.055% w/v)
    * Sulfite preservatives.

[Tony Baloney]

A fella at college used to swear that the number on the bottom of the bottle was an indicator of it's quality. He referred to it as the "vintage" - hardly a term often associated with Buckfast! Numbers between 1 and 9 were the best if I recall!

[dublinfella]

A fella at college used to swear that the number on the bottom of the bottle was an indicator of it's quality. He referred to it as the "vintage" - hardly a term often associated with Buckfast! Numbers between 1 and 9 were the best if I recall!

I heard that too. How it was described to me was that 1 was nicer to drink, but less of the lunatic will be released, 9 was horrible syrup but full of caffeine and gurantees police involvement, with a sliding scale in the middle. My Scottishh mate always hoped to get a 7 or 8.

[Kevin Webster]

What absolute nonsense. All this proves is that the Scots, like Newry people, can't handle their wine.

[pintsofguinness]

The investigation also looks at the ingredients of the drink and how they may affect the behaviour of consumers, potentially making them anxious and aggressive if drunk in large quantities.

Add in "mouthy" to that and we've the explanation for lurgan!