Crime figures: Homicides hit highest level in a decade as knife offences increase

Police recorded 732 homicides in England and Wales last year, the highest total in a decade, according to official new figures.

It comes as the number of offences involving knives or sharp instruments increased by 6% in 2018 compared to the previous 12 months.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of homicides rose by 12% last year to the highest total in any calendar year since 2007.

The figures for 2018 also revealed:

:: Robbery offences increased by 11% to a total of 82,566

:: More than 1.6 million violent offences against people, up by 19% on the previous year

:: Overall police-recorded crime rose to 5.2 million offences, up from 4.8 million in 2017

:: Fraud offences increased by 12%

The figures come after a spate of knife crimes involving young people sparked a political row over cuts to police funding.

One of the latest victims was an 18-year-old man who was stabbed to death in the Harborne area of Birmingham on Wednesday.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott described the findings as "deeply troubling" and said "these reckless cuts must end".

She said that ministers are "in denial" and "refusing to accept that their cuts to police forces have had any impact either on crime levels or the ability to apprehend the criminals."

Labour MP Yvette Cooper added that "police are completely overstretched and crime prevention work is far too limited", and said the violent crime will only get worse unless the government acts.

Commenting on the crime figures, Alexa Bradley from the ONS said: "When we look at the overall level of crime, there has been no significant change over the last year.

"However, it is important to look at each crime type separately because the picture is very mixed.

"Even within crime types we have seen differences. Robbery and vehicle offences have increased whereas burglary has decreased.

"Lower-volume high-harm violence involving knives has risen, whereas offences involving firearms have decreased."

The ONS figures showed an increase in knife offences in 31 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales, in the year leading up to December.

More than 40,800 offences involving knives or sharp objects were reported across all the forces, excluding Greater Manchester Police.

Police recorded a total number of 5.8 million crimes, which was 7% more than in 2017.

The ONS figures for 2017 exclude terrorist attacks in Manchester and London that year.