‘We have definitely seen a change in serious violence’
POLICE CHIEF SAYS KNIFE CRIME NOW MORE PREVALENT
HUDDERSFIELD’S chief of police has admitted his officers are struggling to get their heads around the mindless gang violence that saw a 15-year-old boy murdered after walking out of his school’s gates.
Khayri Mclean lost his life in a crime that shocked the nation in September last year as he walked with friends out of North Huddersfield Trust School, (formerly Fartown High School). During a five-day trial a jury heard how 17-year-old Jovani Harriott and his 15-year-old accomplice Jakele Pusey - who had already pleaded guilty to murder at Leeds Crown Court - “lay in wait” in a ginnel off Woodhouse Hill before running out. Both were wearing all-black clothing, balaclavas and had their eyes covered.
Following the convictions, District Commander, Chief Supt Jim Griffiths, said he was at a loss to understand the mentality of those who carry out such deeds. He said: “It’s true that we have definitely seen a change in serious violence and it’s happening in Kirklees, particularly in Huddersfield.
“Probably four to five years ago we definitely had criminal gangs who were attacking each other and causing serious violence. And we knew how to deal with that. They were men of a certain age.
“Now we have much younger people who at one time might have had a fight after school, a punch-up that might have resulted in one of them going home with a black eye taking matters to another level after falling out over minor things. They are now producing a knife and with this tragic consequences.”
He said that although these incidents are still comparatively rare they have a massive impact with the ripples impacting on how the people of Huddersfield are feeling.
Jim added: “I care about Huddersfield and this kind of knife crime so I am absolutely determined to do everything I can to prevent it. There’s a lot happening on social media where they are goading each other.
“These younger gangs, they are not organised gangs, they are trying to be bigger than they are but they don’t want to lose face and that’s where a lot of the problems start. We are definitely seeing these Drill videos impacting on young people.”
He said his officers were now doing their best to get their heads around the use of social media by teenagers and trying to understand their patterns of behaviour.