Offences of carrying a knife should be tried by judges not magistrates

sir – I suggest it is time to make carrying a knife in public an indictable only offence. This would ensure it is tried by a judge and not a magistrate.

Some of the reported sentences passed by magistrates appear unduly lenient, especially for repeat offenders who ought to receive a sentence of imprisonment (even if suspended for special reasons).

A firm sentence policy will hopefully show that society is serious about addressing the current rash of stabbings, usually of young people by young people.

His Honour Anthony Thorpe Chichester, West Sussex

sir – In England and Wales the number of the people per police officer (excluding office staff) has increased from 393 people in March 2010 to 485 in March 2018 – an increase of 19 per cent.

Over the same period, crime in England and Wales has increased significantly, including knife crime and burglary. The police in England and Wales are now clearly overstretched and are allowing a large proportion of reported crimes to be left uninvestigated.

In contrast to England and Wales, Scotland has 320 people per police officer and police numbers have not changed significantly since 2010. Recorded crime in Scotland has been reducing over the past eight years – including knife crime.

At least 20,000 police officers now need to be recruited to reverse the current descent into lawlessness in England and Wales, together with the introduction of tough sentencing for people carrying a knife without good reason.

For Theresa May to deny that the large reduction in police officer numbers in England and Wales since 2010 is a contributory factor to the large increase in knife crime in England (not just in London) over the past few years is an insult to the intelligence of the British public. John Leng

Christchurch, Dorset sir – The Government may think we have enough police officers, but police and crime commissioners are asking council tax payers for an increased precept to recruit more police. Bernard Powell

Southport, Lancashire

sir – If there is no correlation between police numbers and rising violent crime, then why not reduce police numbers further and save millions of pounds? David Hanley

Great Amwell, Hertfordshire

sir – Increased police patrols might make law-abiding Londoners feel safer, but they would be utterly useless at preventing knife crime.

What is needed is an effective, intelligence-based approach – something that, under its present leadership, the Metropolitan Police seems to have forgotten how to do very well. If at all. Hugh Rogers

Ashby, Lincolnshire