21,000 thugs caught carrying a weapon

Figures hit ten-year high as knife crime surges

THE number of criminals caught with knives or other potentially deadly weapons reached its highest level for almost a decade last year, it was revealed yesterday.

There were 21,484 such offences that came before the courts – but more than six out of ten of those arrested and dealt with by the law were allowed to go free without serving jail terms.

A record share of the weapons cases were those involving individuals who either carried or brandished knives, as opposed to improvised weapons such as bottles and knuckle dusters, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

Nearly two thirds – 63 per cent – were knife offences, as opposed to half in 2008. The soaring level of weapons cases – the 21,484 in 2018 were the most since 2009 – comes amid growing alarm over the epidemic of blades on the streets and efforts by police chiefs and politicians to reassure the public.

Incidents this month – including the killing of 17-year-old Jodie Chesney in a playground in East London and that of 17-year-old Yousef Makki in the affluent Manchester suburb of Hale Barns – have compounded a sense that the spread of knives among the young is out of control.

Just over one in five of the weapon offences last year – 4,430 – involved an individual under the age of 18. The latest evidence of increasing levels of knife crime brought fresh calls for a decisive response from the authorities. Diana Fawcett, of Victim Support, said: ‘It is horrifying to see knife crime offences at the highest levels in a decade, which is yet more evidence that violent crime is an increasing problem that must be tackled urgently.’

The 21,484 offences dealt with by the courts or by police cautions last year were the largest number since 25,103 in 2009.

As well as knife crime, they took in offences by those carrying or threatening to use improvised weapons such as sharpened screwdrivers, knuckle dusters or broken bottles.

Despite promises of tough sentences for those found carrying knives, only 37 per cent of offenders – 5,734 – went to prison. More than one in ten, 11 per cent, were freed with a police caution without ever being brought before a

‘Devastating consequences’

court. The average sentence in 2018 was 8.1 months – higher than the 5.3 months imposed in 2008.

Nevertheless, an offender given the average sentence would be released after just over four months because well-behaved prisoners normally serve no more than half their jail term.

Of the criminals, 13,903 were sentenced for a first offence.

Justice minister Rory Stewart said: ‘This Government is doing everything in its power to tackle the devastating consequences of knife crime. Sentences are getting tougher – offenders are more likely to be sent straight to prison, and for longer, than at any time in the last decade.’

Police records show there were 34,138 knife and offensive weapon incidents reported in the year to last September – more than double the 15,699 recorded in the year to March 2013.