Rural areas have become knife crime flashpoint, says Labour
KNIFE crime is rising faster in rural areas than in other parts of Britain, police figures show.
The figures were revealed yesterday as Sir Keir Starmer prepared to pledge that no person caught with a knife will escape sanction under Labour.
Offences for knife possession have doubled in the past decade in rural areas, compared with a 60 per cent rise in urban police force areas, according to Labour analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
Nine of the 10 forces with the biggest rises in knife crime are primarily rural, led by Gwent with a 532 per cent rise, Hertfordshire up by 322 per cent and Dyfed-powys, Wiltshire and North Yorkshire all seeing a threefold rise.
The surge is blamed on county lines gangs that have exported drugs such as heroin and cocaine from cities into more rural areas. It has sparked turf wars with local criminals to control the drugs market as they recruit children as young as seven to act as drug “mules”.
Sir Keir is due to make a commitment today that every young person caught with a knife will face a sanction such as jail, tagging, curfew, fine or behavioural contracts. He says he will rewrite guidance so that no offender escapes further sanction or behaviour requirement simply by writing an apology letter.
Under current rules, offenders handed community resolutions can avoid a criminal record by agreeing to say sorry in person to those they have wronged. They may be ordered to pay compensation.
Sir Keir said: “Too many young people are being drawn into squandering their life chances by getting involved in crime. A government that I lead won’t think we can press release away soaring youth crime.
“No more apology letters, no more weak warnings. If you carry a knife, you’ll carry the consequences. But this is not just about sanctions once the choices have been made. I saw as chief prosecutor the power of prevention.”
Sir Keir will also announce plans for a network of Young Futures centres – modelled on the Sure Start schemes created by New Labour – to bring together police, social workers and teachers.