Knife crime in England and Wales highest in over nine years

Reuters
Fri, 17 Jul 2020 17:08 UTC

© REUTERS/Hannah McKay

London police

Knife crime in England and Wales rose to its highest level since comparable statistics began to be gathered nine years ago, with London reporting a 28% annual rise in knife killings over the past year.

Offences involving knives or sharp instruments in England and Wales rose 6% to 46,265 in the year to March 2020, 51% higher than when comparable figures began in 2011, according to police data published on Friday by Britain's Office for National Statistics.

London, which accounted for just over a third of knife crime, saw a 7% rise in offences.

"The number of homicides involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument in London increased from 67 to 86, a 28% increase," the ONS said.

While knife crime rose, there was a 4% decrease in firearms offences and a 9% decrease in burglary across England and Wales. Data for the city of Manchester in northwest England was excluded due to problems with a new computer system in the city.

The increase in knife crime recorded by the police contrasts with a longer-term decline in violent crime measured by an ONS survey of the public, which is its lowest since that survey began in 1981 and more than 70% below its peak in 1995.

The ONS says its surveys generally give a better sense of long-term trends than police records, as they are less affected by people's reluctance to speak to the police and changes in police record-keeping.

However, police records are likely to be better for rare crimes such as murders.

Comment: And it continues:

Police and ambulance services have been dispatched to Broadgate Circle in Central London, after two people were stabbed. The area in the financial district is filled with restaurants and bars.

"Our officers are currently dealing with an isolated incident in Broadgate Circle, in which two people have been stabbed," City of London Police said in a statement.

The injuries are not life-threatening, according to initial reports.

Londoners have been urged to stay clear of the area, which is just outside the Liverpool Street tube station.

Friday evening's incident comes after two fatal stabbings the day before in the north London districts of Kilburn and Enfield. Data published by the Office of National Statistics on Friday showed that knife crimes in England and Wales had risen six percent to a record high over the past year, with homicides up by 10 percent.