Knife crime in Northampton: Campaigner left 'in tears' and 'lost for words' following recent spate of stabbings in the town and county

A knife crime campaigner in Northampton says he has been left ‘in tears’ following recent stabbings in the county.

As knife crime continues to be a problem across our county, and the country, this newspaper got in touch with campaign group Off The Streets NN.

Here’s a timeline of recent knife crime incidents in Northampton.

Kingsley Park Terrace stabbing

On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Northamptonshire Police were called to Kingsley Park Terrace following reports of a stabbing outside the Capitol off licence, between Oliver Street and Milton Street.

The victim, a man in his 40s, was stabbed in the leg which left him hospitalised. Thankfully he did not suffer any life-threatening or life-changing injuries, say police.

Osman Mohamed, aged 28, of Gladstone Road, Birmingham was sentenced on March 23 to three years and nine months in prison.

Eden Close stabbing

A 33-year-old man was charged with possession of a weapon after an 18-year-old was stabbed in Eden Close

The incident happened on Friday, February 17 between 11.25pm and 11.35pm.

The teenager was taken to hospital and treated. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Fred Shand stabbing

The 16-year-old was fatally stabbed in Kingsthorpe, close to the Cock Hotel junction, on Wednesday March 22. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Fred died at the scene. A coroner at the opening of Fred’s inquest confirmed he died as a result of a single stab wound to the chest.

Brackley stabbing

Just days after the death of Fred Shand, a man in his 20s was taken to hospital after he was stabbed in a supermarket car park in Brackley.

The incident happened in Tesco car park in Oxford Road, Brackley just before 7.40pm on Tuesday, March 28 where the victim’s phone was stolen.

Thankfully the victim was not seriously injured.

Other high profile stabbings include:

Dylan Holliday

The 16-year-old from Wellingborough died after he was stabbed 13 times as he ‘chilled and relaxed’ with his best friend in the A509 underpass near Shelley Road, on the Queensway estate, on August 5, 2021.

Reece Ottaway

The 23-year-old was stabbed to death by a murderous gang in a botched robbery for drugs and money at Cordwainer House, St James in February 2019.

Louis-Ryan Menezes

The 17-year-old fatal stab victim died in Kingsthorpe after suffering a single stab wound to the chest on May 25, 2018.

NN Off The Streets

Anti-knife crime charity Off the Streets NN has been working tirelessly to eradicate knife crime in the county, save lives and educate, since it was launched in 2021 following the murder of Dylan Holliday in Wellingborough.

This newspaper spoke to the charity’s boss, Ravaun Jones, following on from Fred Shand’s tragic death.

Rav said: “I've been dealing with this so much. It's becoming a norm and it's not normal. It's not normal at all that we've just had a recent stabbing again yesterday afternoon in Wellingborough. It just keeps happening happening.

"It pains me talking about this all the time. It pains me so much like we continue to have meetings and we're like in a lot of tears just thinking like, what's going on with the world like what is going on? It's so sad. It's so bad.

“I don't know what to say anymore. Nowadays I have so many meetings and stuff with people asking ‘what can we do this and that to the point we seem to be repeating ourselves’. It's like, we're not being heard. And we're not not being heard as much as we shouldn't be heard. You know?”

Despite the uphill battle Rav and his team face, he says he carries on for his children and the kids in the community.

"I've got kids, and I just look at them, the same way I look at the community kids, and I just think it's awful. Just the thought of knowing that potentially your child could be mistaken for someone and stabbed.”

Rav’s main aim is to educate young children in a bid to stop the cycle of this mindless violence.

He said: “The main key is to educate these use and by doing so we need to start from a very, very early age. Going into schools talking to kids, educating them on knife crime.

"Parents need to get involved and educate their kids. A lot of parents seem to think that their kids won't carry a knife, but unfortunately, they needy to clear their mind from those thoughts because unfortunately, it's not the case.”

"We can all do something to make our community better. The only way we're going to minimise what's going on is by working together. If we don't work together, there is no change.”

Conservative councillor James Hill (Billing and Rectory Farm) said he too is ‘deeply disturbed’ by recent events.

Councillor Hill said: “Like many I am deeply disturbed about the recent knife crime events that have happened on our streets. While there is some great work going on by the police, council, schools and other organisations it is clear that enough is still not being done to tackle the issue and get to the root of the problem.

"As chair of West Northants Diverse Communities Forum I have asked the wider issue of knife crime to be on the agenda of our next meeting and going forward.”

Here is a full list of where potentially life saving bleed kits are located across Northamptonshire.