Knife crime rises to new record of 44,000 offences in England and Wales

Knife crime has risen to a new record in England and Wales.

Police recorded more than 44,000 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in the 12 months to June, up 7 per cent on the previous year.

Almost half the offences were stabbings, 43 per cent were robberies, and the figure also included rape and sexual assault.

There were 235 knife murders in the year, and 412 attempted murders.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of crimes involving knives was the highest recorded since 2010-11, when comparable data began.

Joe Traynor, from the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “While overall levels of violence have remained steady, the number of offences involving a knife has continued to increase across England and Wales.

“However, the number of homicides where a knife or sharp instrument was involved decreased, driven by falls in London.

“There is a mixed picture in the total number of knife crime offences across police forces with the Metropolitan Police recording little change in the last year.”

Knife crime had been rising for the past five years, with the rate rising from 577 per million population in 2010-11 to 783.

Police leaders have blamed the government for fuelling increases by slashing budgets and causing the number of police officers in England and Wales to plummet by 20,000 since 2010.

Campaigners have also accused the Conservatives of worsening the root causes of violence by cutting youth service budgets, mental health provision and other preventative services.

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