How knife crime has DOUBLED across Northamptonshire during last ten years

"Sadly this is a picture being mirrored across the whole country and here in Northamptonshire, we are doing a lot of work to tackle it"
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Knife crime has more than doubled in Northamptonshire in the last ten years.

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics revealed 638 incidents involving bladed weapons in the year to March 2020.

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That marks a rise of around 20 per cent since last year — and 100 per cent since 2010 when the equivalent figure was 331.

Part of the stash of lethal weapons handed in to police during a knife amnesty earlier this yearPart of the stash of lethal weapons handed in to police during a knife amnesty earlier this year
Part of the stash of lethal weapons handed in to police during a knife amnesty earlier this year

Six per cent of all crime in the county involved a knife, 315 involved assaults and 226 were robberies.

At the same time, numbers of crimes involving firearms has dropped from 120 to 104 in a year — way down from its peak of 140 in 2017.

And Northamptonshire Police insist they are tackling the problems of knife crime head on.

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Assistant Chief Constable Simon Blatchly said: “The rise in the number of crimes involving weapons is sadly a picture that is mirrored across the whole country and in Northamptonshire, we are doing a lot of work to tackle it.

Amari Smith was jailed for the manslaughter of Louis-Ryan Menezes in 2019. Photos: Northamptonshire PoliceAmari Smith was jailed for the manslaughter of Louis-Ryan Menezes in 2019. Photos: Northamptonshire Police
Amari Smith was jailed for the manslaughter of Louis-Ryan Menezes in 2019. Photos: Northamptonshire Police

“Operation Sceptre is dedicated to tackling knife crime and this operation focuses on prevention as well as enforcement.

“The enforcement side of things involves stop searches, warrants which focus on the seizure of knives, the display of knife arches, and the carrying out of test purchases at shops by our emergency services cadets.

“The prevention side of things involves officers going into schools to talk about the dangers of carrying weapons and the work of CIRV who aim to encourage young people to choose a path that doesn’t involve criminality.

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“This is an area we will continue to focus on relentlessly to challenge and prevent violence in order to keep our young people and communities safe.”

Operation Sceptre saw officers weapon sweeps and targeting habitual knife carriers during a crack down, as well as engaging with children and young people to educate them about the risks of carrying a knife.

Officers carried out 15 weapon sweeps, mostly in Kettering and Corby, resulting in a number of knives being recovered from bushes and undergrowth. Another 19 weapons were surrendered in amnesty bins located at engagement events in both towns.

Police also enlisted the help of youngsters from Northamptonshire Emergency Services Cadets to pose as youngsters attempting to buy knives from retailers.

Four of these failed and were given warnings.

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The launch of Operation Sceptre coincided with the sentencing of a teenager who was just 16 when he killed 17-year-old, Louis-Ryan Menezes in May 2018.

Amari Smith, 18, of Penfold Close, Kingsthorpe, was jailed for nine years and four months for inflicting a single stab wound.

Superintendent Dennis Murray said: “Nothing can give a starker warning to people everywhere - carrying a knife does not protect you - it can ruin your life forever. This case demonstrates in the most tragic way possible, there is never a good reason to carry a knife.

“We will continue to work relentlessly to challenge and prevent violence and to keep our young people and communities safe."

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And we revealed last week how a 13-year-old was referred to the county's Community Initiative to Reduce Violence scheme after being found carrying a knife during a stop and search in Northampton's town centre.

CIRV is a multi-agency intervention programme designed to reduce gang violence working with gang members to show the consequences of the life they are choosing to lead and offering them an alternative pathway through mentoring, support, job opportunities and other change programmes.

As part of the CIRV programme, would-be gang members hear testimonies from parents whose children have been killed by knives.

Chief Inspector Dorothy said: "CIRV provides a clear message that the force will not hesitate to take action against those who seek to commit crime in our communities.

"The programme is seeing good levels of referrals, and is also bringing in intelligence and opportunities to challenge knife crime head-on."