Murder rate soars by a quarter in a single year
Almost one killing a week when lockdown was finally lifted
MURDERS have rocketed by almost 25 per cent in Birmingham and the West Midlands over the last 12 months.
The chilling statistics came in a year in which lockdown measures were finally lifted.
Police recorded 51 murders between March 31 last year and April 1, 2022, up from 41 for the same period in the previous 12 months.
That works out as an increase of just under 25 per cent.
The deaths included that of Jason Bentley-Morrison. The 25-year-old was stabbed to death by Zechelle Reid during a fight in front of Lab 11 club in Oxford Street, Digbeth, last August.
The 31-year-old killer, of no fixed address, was found guilty of murder in March following a two week trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
He must serve a minimum of 20 years before being considered for parole.
Detectives are also still hunting the killer of Jinming Zhang.
The 41-year-old was stabbed to death during a suspected robbery in Moseley Street, Digbeth, on February 9.
Police released CCTV footage of a suspect who was seen leaving the area after the murder and a £10,000 reward has been posted by Crimestoppers.
The new murder figures were released by West Midlands Police after a request by the Birmingham Post.
They also showed that the number of murders recorded between March 31 and April 1 in 2019/20 was 44.
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Ingram, from the homicide team, said: “Murder is the most devastating crime which causes significant distress for the families and friends of the loved one they have lost, the wider community and us as officers who investigate these tragic circumstances.
“We’re dedicated to providing the most compassionate and respectful support during our investigation to the victims’ families as we recognise this is often during their very worst times.
“We always want to find those responsible and seek to charge and put them before the courts.”
He added: “We remain committed to working on unsolved murder cases as well as historic ones and follow up on any fresh leads.
“As part of the justice system we seek to get answers for families in an effort to provide them some comfort during extremely difficult times.
“We work closely with a range of partners to try and better understand violence and why it is present within our society with a view to warning people of the dangers and heart-breaking consequences.”