· Grace Idowu tells of her grief for teenager David
· She hopes photo will bring home reality of violence
David Idowu lies in a hospital bed. His eyes are closed, his face swollen, a tube protrudes from his mouth, feeding drips keep him hydrated and a heart monitor measures the fading signs of life.
Five days after this photograph was taken by his family in the Royal London hospital, east London, David, 14, died from a knife wound to the heart, inflicted as he went to play football in the park.
His mother, Grace Idowu, 48, released the last picture of David to the Guardian for publication today in an attempt to illustrate the stark reality of teenage knife crime.
"That is my beautiful boy," she said. "I want this picture published so people can see what happened to him. I want young people to see what happens when you put a knife in someone.
"They should just stop all this. He was not a criminal, he was an innocent boy. All this is for nothing."
Idowu remembers watching a news report in the summer on the killing of 15-year-old Arsema Dawit on an estate in Waterloo, central London.
"I just saw it and thought it was very sad that this young girl should die like this," she said. "I never imagined as I watched that my son would be next."
But two weeks later Idowu was at work in Tesco when two police officers entered the store and walked towards her till. It was 5.45pm, about 45 minutes after David had shut the front door of his house, crossed the road and walked into Tabard Gardens, the park opposite, to play football.
"When I saw the police officers coming into the shop I thought it must be for shoplifting. But they were walking to me and they asked me to come into the office," she said.
The officers told her that David had been attacked around the corner from his home. "It was like the life was suddenly sucked out of me. I collapsed and I came round to hear them shouting my name," she said.
"They drove me to the Royal London hospital where they were operating on David. They had resuscitated him twice before they started the surgery. The knife had been thrust deep into his chest and pierced his heart.
"David lost 90% of his blood, they fought so hard to save him."
After a five-hour operation Idowu, her husband Tim and their other children were allowed to see David in the intensive care unit where he lay wired to machines and unconscious.
For 20 days Idowu sat at her son's bedside holding his hand and stroking his forehead.
"When I called his name he would turn his head to me," she said. "His eyes were wide open but he could not see me, he just turned his head towards the sound. The doctors told me he may not survive but I was determined he would, then they told me he would be brain damaged but I wanted him back no matter what state he was in."
Fifteen days into her vigil Idowu had this picture taken, the last of her young son. Five days later he died without ever coming round.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Teenage killings: 'Arms race' warning as another youth is killed
· Stabbed teenager is 26th victim in London this year
· Community leader fears violence out of control
Senior police advisers and community leaders warned yesterday that youth violence was spiralling out of control on inner-city streets after another teenager was killed in London. Oliver King-Onzila became the 26th teenager to be murdered in the capital this year when he was knifed outside a bar on Saturday.
The killing means that teenage homicides in the first nine months of this year already equal the number for all of 2007 in the Metropolitan police area. Since 2000, the number of teenagers killed on the capital's streets has risen year on year.
Sir Ian Blair, the Met police commissioner, said during a spate of killings last year that the violence among young people was "completely unacceptable" and he was "not prepared to tolerate this continued sequence of senseless killings". But despite a high-profile police presence on the streets and more stops and searches, the number of stabbings has risen.
King-Onzila, 19, who captained Barnet's youth football team, died in a fracas outside the E Bar in Croydon, south London. Barnet's manager, Paul Fairclough, described him as "a gentle giant".
Cindy Butts, a deputy chair of the Metropolitan police authority and specialist in gun and knife crime, said: "I think we must brace ourselves. It is like an arms race ... The more young people are aware that other young people are carrying knives, the more likely they will be to carry one."
Raymond Stevenson, a community leader in Brixton, said: "Next year the figures will go up again because we are at the beginning of the spiral, not at the end."
Stevenson alleged that government "neglect" of urban areas gave young people "the worst teachers in the most rundown schools, no after-school provision and no hope". He said the " underinvestment in urban communities is a national disaster". His own violence awareness group, Urban Concepts, has had its Home Office funding withdrawn.
· Community leader fears violence out of control
Senior police advisers and community leaders warned yesterday that youth violence was spiralling out of control on inner-city streets after another teenager was killed in London. Oliver King-Onzila became the 26th teenager to be murdered in the capital this year when he was knifed outside a bar on Saturday.
The killing means that teenage homicides in the first nine months of this year already equal the number for all of 2007 in the Metropolitan police area. Since 2000, the number of teenagers killed on the capital's streets has risen year on year.
Sir Ian Blair, the Met police commissioner, said during a spate of killings last year that the violence among young people was "completely unacceptable" and he was "not prepared to tolerate this continued sequence of senseless killings". But despite a high-profile police presence on the streets and more stops and searches, the number of stabbings has risen.
King-Onzila, 19, who captained Barnet's youth football team, died in a fracas outside the E Bar in Croydon, south London. Barnet's manager, Paul Fairclough, described him as "a gentle giant".
Cindy Butts, a deputy chair of the Metropolitan police authority and specialist in gun and knife crime, said: "I think we must brace ourselves. It is like an arms race ... The more young people are aware that other young people are carrying knives, the more likely they will be to carry one."
Raymond Stevenson, a community leader in Brixton, said: "Next year the figures will go up again because we are at the beginning of the spiral, not at the end."
Stevenson alleged that government "neglect" of urban areas gave young people "the worst teachers in the most rundown schools, no after-school provision and no hope". He said the " underinvestment in urban communities is a national disaster". His own violence awareness group, Urban Concepts, has had its Home Office funding withdrawn.
Three teenagers remanded over murder of Shaquille Smith
Three teenagers appeared in court today charged with the murder of 14-year-old Shaquille Smith from east London.
Smith was stabbed to death outside his home in Hackney on August 30 during a fight.
George Amponsah, 18, and two boys aged 16 and 17 who cannot be named, all from east London, faced Thames magistrates court and were remanded in custody. They will appear at the Old Bailey on October 3.
Smith was stabbed to death outside his home in Hackney on August 30 during a fight.
George Amponsah, 18, and two boys aged 16 and 17 who cannot be named, all from east London, faced Thames magistrates court and were remanded in custody. They will appear at the Old Bailey on October 3.
Scenes from the battle to staunch flow of stab deaths
Yesterday another teenager was stabbed to death. As knife crime soars, hospitals across the UK are dealing with record numbers of victims. Through last week The Observer was given unprecedented access to the A&E unit at King's College Hospital, London, which admits more stab victims than any in England. This is the story of how the hospital staff cope:
London has gained the unenviable reputation as the place where young people are most likely to be stabbed. Already this year 25 teenagers have met violent deaths, most of them as a result of knives. The accident and emergency department at King's College Hospital in south-east London treats more victims of stabbings than any other in England - almost one every day.
At King's an astonishing 70 per cent of knife victims are aged between 13 and 19. While the number of such patients is going up, their age is going down. The youngest knife crime victim treated last year was a 10-year-old schoolboy. Last month the stabbing casualty list included a 14-year-old girl.
Until recently A&E staff saw few females with blade wounds. But last year more than 10 per cent of patients at King's with such wounds were teenage girls or young women.
Throughout last week King's gave The Observer unprecedented access to its A&E unit to witness how medical staff cope with the growing toll of knife crime. The stark reality of their work on the front line - dealing with the growing number of disputes settled with blades - raises many unsettling questions.
A&E staff usually deal with victims of falls, heart attacks and car crashes. But King's is near the knife crime hot spots of Peckham, Brixton and Camberwell, so its personnel have also become experts in treating the many people who have been stabbed - 295 last year alone. The area's many gangs pursue often bloody disputes, and drug dealers settle scores, almost on the hospital's doorstep.
'Five years ago we only had the odd female victim, usually as a result of domestic violence,' adds Lasoye. 'But last year 38 of the 295 stabbings we saw were female and, of them, only 15 were in that category. The other 23 happened in the same sort of circumstances as male victims of knife violence - in parks, nightclubs and in the street.
'If young females, who are often teenage mothers, are involved in this sort of thing, what chance does their child have of living a normal life?'
A few stab victims only need to be seen in the A&E department's minor injuries unit. But most are taken into the five-bed resuscitation unit, which is reserved for casualties suffering major trauma. Whenever a stab victim arrives with the knife still lodged in them, it is left there until a full assessment is made. 'The three key things we need to find out urgently are the size of the blade, the force used to put it in and what direction it went in,' explains Aidan Slowie, the most senior nurse in the A&E.
London has gained the unenviable reputation as the place where young people are most likely to be stabbed. Already this year 25 teenagers have met violent deaths, most of them as a result of knives. The accident and emergency department at King's College Hospital in south-east London treats more victims of stabbings than any other in England - almost one every day.
At King's an astonishing 70 per cent of knife victims are aged between 13 and 19. While the number of such patients is going up, their age is going down. The youngest knife crime victim treated last year was a 10-year-old schoolboy. Last month the stabbing casualty list included a 14-year-old girl.
Until recently A&E staff saw few females with blade wounds. But last year more than 10 per cent of patients at King's with such wounds were teenage girls or young women.
Throughout last week King's gave The Observer unprecedented access to its A&E unit to witness how medical staff cope with the growing toll of knife crime. The stark reality of their work on the front line - dealing with the growing number of disputes settled with blades - raises many unsettling questions.
A&E staff usually deal with victims of falls, heart attacks and car crashes. But King's is near the knife crime hot spots of Peckham, Brixton and Camberwell, so its personnel have also become experts in treating the many people who have been stabbed - 295 last year alone. The area's many gangs pursue often bloody disputes, and drug dealers settle scores, almost on the hospital's doorstep.
'Five years ago we only had the odd female victim, usually as a result of domestic violence,' adds Lasoye. 'But last year 38 of the 295 stabbings we saw were female and, of them, only 15 were in that category. The other 23 happened in the same sort of circumstances as male victims of knife violence - in parks, nightclubs and in the street.
'If young females, who are often teenage mothers, are involved in this sort of thing, what chance does their child have of living a normal life?'
A few stab victims only need to be seen in the A&E department's minor injuries unit. But most are taken into the five-bed resuscitation unit, which is reserved for casualties suffering major trauma. Whenever a stab victim arrives with the knife still lodged in them, it is left there until a full assessment is made. 'The three key things we need to find out urgently are the size of the blade, the force used to put it in and what direction it went in,' explains Aidan Slowie, the most senior nurse in the A&E.
Two teenagers charged with Shaquille Smith murder
Shaquille Smith died in hospital hours after he was stabbed close to his home.
Two teenagers have been charged with the murder of a 14-year-old schoolboy who was stabbed while sitting on a bench outside his east London home, police said today.
Godiowe Dufeal, 19, of Hackney, east London, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named, will appear before Thames magistrates court today over the killing of Shaquille Smith at the weekend.
Police arrested two other men today, aged 18 and 21, in connection with the case.
Shaquille was sitting on a bench in St Thomas's Place, Hackney, just before midnight on Saturday when he was surrounded by a group of around 15 youths, witnesses said.
He was stabbed in the stomach and died at 8am the next day in hospital. His sister Tahira, 16, was also stabbed and was treated in hospital for her injuries.
Shaquille had been due to go back to school this week to start his GCSE studies. He was the 25th teenager to die in attacks in London this year.
Two teenagers have been charged with the murder of a 14-year-old schoolboy who was stabbed while sitting on a bench outside his east London home, police said today.
Godiowe Dufeal, 19, of Hackney, east London, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named, will appear before Thames magistrates court today over the killing of Shaquille Smith at the weekend.
Police arrested two other men today, aged 18 and 21, in connection with the case.
Shaquille was sitting on a bench in St Thomas's Place, Hackney, just before midnight on Saturday when he was surrounded by a group of around 15 youths, witnesses said.
He was stabbed in the stomach and died at 8am the next day in hospital. His sister Tahira, 16, was also stabbed and was treated in hospital for her injuries.
Shaquille had been due to go back to school this week to start his GCSE studies. He was the 25th teenager to die in attacks in London this year.
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Two held over fatal stabbing
Two teenagers were arrested yesterday over the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old schoolboy in east London at the weekend, police said.
Shaquille Smith died from a single wound to the stomach after being attacked by a gang of youths in Hackney on Saturday. He was the youngest of 25 teenagers murdered in the capital this year.
The Metropolitan police arrested a 19-year-old in east London early yesterday. A 17-year-old was arrested in the afternoon.
Shaquille was attacked while walking his dog with his sister Tahira, 16, and an 18-year-old friend in a park near his home. Residents described seeing a group of about 15 youths on bikes approach and attack Shaquille as he sat on a bench. Family members, including his mother, tried to help the schoolboy but he died in hospital on Sunday morning.
Tahira also suffered stab wounds to the face and neck during the attack and was discharged from hospital on Monday.
Shaquille's mother yesterday described him as a happy child and a devoted brother who was determined to do well at school and had dreamt of moving to Jamaica.
Shaquille Smith died from a single wound to the stomach after being attacked by a gang of youths in Hackney on Saturday. He was the youngest of 25 teenagers murdered in the capital this year.
The Metropolitan police arrested a 19-year-old in east London early yesterday. A 17-year-old was arrested in the afternoon.
Shaquille was attacked while walking his dog with his sister Tahira, 16, and an 18-year-old friend in a park near his home. Residents described seeing a group of about 15 youths on bikes approach and attack Shaquille as he sat on a bench. Family members, including his mother, tried to help the schoolboy but he died in hospital on Sunday morning.
Tahira also suffered stab wounds to the face and neck during the attack and was discharged from hospital on Monday.
Shaquille's mother yesterday described him as a happy child and a devoted brother who was determined to do well at school and had dreamt of moving to Jamaica.
Two teenagers arrested over fatal stabbing of Shaquille Smith
Two teenagers were arrested today in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old schoolboy in east London.
Shaquille Smith became the youngest of 25 teenagers murdered in the capital this year when he bled to death from a single stab wound to the stomach during the weekend.
Earlier today, the Metropolitan police said a 19-year-old had been arrested in east London during the early hours of this morning.
A 17-year-old male was arrested this afternoon.
Shaquille Smith became the youngest of 25 teenagers murdered in the capital this year when he bled to death from a single stab wound to the stomach during the weekend.
Earlier today, the Metropolitan police said a 19-year-old had been arrested in east London during the early hours of this morning.
A 17-year-old male was arrested this afternoon.
Schoolboy stab victim, 14, 'was attacked by gang'
A 14-year-old boy who bled to death from a single stab wound to the stomach is the youngest of 25 teenagers murdered in London this year. Shaquille Smith died after being attacked by a group of youths while walking a dog with his sister, Tahira, 16, and an 18-year-old friend outside his home in Hackney, east London, on Saturday.
Several family members came to his aid, including his mother, but Shaquille died in hospital on Sunday morning. Tahira, who suffered knife wounds to her face and neck, was discharged from hospital yesterday. The friend escaped unhurt.
Police said they were exploring the possibility the attack was gang-related but said there was no evidence that either Shaquille, an army cadet, or his sister were involved with gangs.
Detective Inspector Carl Mehta said he was appealing for witnesses who may have seen a group of between 10 and 15 youths wearing hooded tops and dark clothing and riding bicycles in the area. Residents said they saw around 15 youths on bikes attack Smith as he sat on a bench in a small park in front of his house.
A friend, who did not want to be named, said there had been a violent feud between a gang from the London Fields area and another from the E9 postcode but that Shaquille had not been involved. "Shaq's a good guy, the class clown. Everyone knew him, but for good reasons. I'm just totally shocked. His family are devastated. They are very quiet and don't want to talk to anyone," he said. "This isn't a feud - it's a war now. It's gone from fist fights to knives to guns and back to knives."
Mark Simmons, head of Operation Blunt 2, the Metropolitan police's anti-knife unit, said the stabbing left him depressed and worried. Speaking at the launch of an advert encouraging teenagers to stop carrying knives, he said: "Right now the number of teenagers dying violently on London streets is depressing. Anyone who lives in London cannot help but feel down about these murders."
The operation, which began in May, has seen 1,900 knives seized in London through stop and search measures and home searches. "People feel we get bogged down by overemphasis on statistics. We are doing things to ensure that the figure does not keep going up. But it takes time to work through and have its impact," said Simmons.
Two other 14-year-olds - David Idowu and Amro Elbadawi - have also been killed this year.
Several family members came to his aid, including his mother, but Shaquille died in hospital on Sunday morning. Tahira, who suffered knife wounds to her face and neck, was discharged from hospital yesterday. The friend escaped unhurt.
Police said they were exploring the possibility the attack was gang-related but said there was no evidence that either Shaquille, an army cadet, or his sister were involved with gangs.
Detective Inspector Carl Mehta said he was appealing for witnesses who may have seen a group of between 10 and 15 youths wearing hooded tops and dark clothing and riding bicycles in the area. Residents said they saw around 15 youths on bikes attack Smith as he sat on a bench in a small park in front of his house.
A friend, who did not want to be named, said there had been a violent feud between a gang from the London Fields area and another from the E9 postcode but that Shaquille had not been involved. "Shaq's a good guy, the class clown. Everyone knew him, but for good reasons. I'm just totally shocked. His family are devastated. They are very quiet and don't want to talk to anyone," he said. "This isn't a feud - it's a war now. It's gone from fist fights to knives to guns and back to knives."
Mark Simmons, head of Operation Blunt 2, the Metropolitan police's anti-knife unit, said the stabbing left him depressed and worried. Speaking at the launch of an advert encouraging teenagers to stop carrying knives, he said: "Right now the number of teenagers dying violently on London streets is depressing. Anyone who lives in London cannot help but feel down about these murders."
The operation, which began in May, has seen 1,900 knives seized in London through stop and search measures and home searches. "People feel we get bogged down by overemphasis on statistics. We are doing things to ensure that the figure does not keep going up. But it takes time to work through and have its impact," said Simmons.
Two other 14-year-olds - David Idowu and Amro Elbadawi - have also been killed this year.
Two more teenagers killed in weekend knife violence
A 14-year-old boy bled to death yesterday after suffering a single stab wound to the stomach when he and his sister were attacked by a group of youths outside their home in east London.
Shaquille Maitland-Smith was found shortly before midnight on Saturday, metres from his home in St Thomas's Place, in Hackney. His 16-year-old sister, known as Titi, also suffered knife wounds and remains in hospital in a stable condition.
Their aunt, Jackie Green, said Shaquille had been sitting outside near his house when a group of youths walked past and attacked him. "I don't think the others realised Shaquille had been stabbed at first, they thought he had just been punched," she said.
Earlier, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at a party in Liverpool. He was later named as Luke Howard.
Both fatalities will increase political pressure on the government and police to tackle the rash of knife crimes among young people.
The Metropolitan police confirmed that Shaquille was the 20th teenager stabbed to death - and the 25th teenage homicide - in London so far this year. Last year 26 teenagers were killed in the capital.
A neighbour in Hackney, who did not wish to be identified, told the Guardian he had been watching television late on Saturday evening and often heard scuffles.
"It's quite normal to hear teenagers getting excited," he said. "There's a row of Georgian houses surrounded by estates. It's where different gangs meet up. [On Saturday] there were a few strong words followed by a commotion. I looked outside. The boy was down but conscious. He was stabbed near my house, but dragged himself along to collapse outside his home. His family, his mother and sisters, were with him. The ambulance was there within 10 minutes."
Shaquille was taken to hospital, but died early yesterday morning.
In Liverpool, a 15-year-old boy was charged with murdering Luke Howard and is due to appear at Liverpool youth court today. Police were called to a house in Ashcombe Road, Old Swan, just after 7am on Saturday, Merseyside police said. There had been an argument at a party. Police appealed for people at the party to contact officers investigating Howard's murder.
In London, a 16-year-old boy was last night charged with the murder of Charles Junior Hendricks, 18, who was stabbed in Walthamstow, north-east London last month. Two other boys, 16 and 17, remained in police custody. A 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old have been bailed until late September.
Shaquille Maitland-Smith was found shortly before midnight on Saturday, metres from his home in St Thomas's Place, in Hackney. His 16-year-old sister, known as Titi, also suffered knife wounds and remains in hospital in a stable condition.
Their aunt, Jackie Green, said Shaquille had been sitting outside near his house when a group of youths walked past and attacked him. "I don't think the others realised Shaquille had been stabbed at first, they thought he had just been punched," she said.
Earlier, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at a party in Liverpool. He was later named as Luke Howard.
Both fatalities will increase political pressure on the government and police to tackle the rash of knife crimes among young people.
The Metropolitan police confirmed that Shaquille was the 20th teenager stabbed to death - and the 25th teenage homicide - in London so far this year. Last year 26 teenagers were killed in the capital.
A neighbour in Hackney, who did not wish to be identified, told the Guardian he had been watching television late on Saturday evening and often heard scuffles.
"It's quite normal to hear teenagers getting excited," he said. "There's a row of Georgian houses surrounded by estates. It's where different gangs meet up. [On Saturday] there were a few strong words followed by a commotion. I looked outside. The boy was down but conscious. He was stabbed near my house, but dragged himself along to collapse outside his home. His family, his mother and sisters, were with him. The ambulance was there within 10 minutes."
Shaquille was taken to hospital, but died early yesterday morning.
In Liverpool, a 15-year-old boy was charged with murdering Luke Howard and is due to appear at Liverpool youth court today. Police were called to a house in Ashcombe Road, Old Swan, just after 7am on Saturday, Merseyside police said. There had been an argument at a party. Police appealed for people at the party to contact officers investigating Howard's murder.
In London, a 16-year-old boy was last night charged with the murder of Charles Junior Hendricks, 18, who was stabbed in Walthamstow, north-east London last month. Two other boys, 16 and 17, remained in police custody. A 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old have been bailed until late September.
Met police launches anti-knife push
The Metropolitan police is to launch a major TV campaign, Operation Blunt, in a bid to get young people to think about the consequences of carrying a knife.
Unveiled today by the Met at an event near Leicester Square in central London, the campaign will be led by a 90-second TV ad that breaks tonight.
The TV ads will be shown exclusively on Viacom channel MTV for two weeks.
The Met's push follows fatal stabbings that have claimed the lives of more than 20 young people in London this year.
Ad agency MCBD's TV commercial aims to show young people that carrying a knife can escalate minor situations into potentially lethal ones.
The ad, which uses the strapline "Carry a knife and the consequences will follow", tells the story of a young boy at home who nonchalantly slips a knife into his pocket and heads out.
As he walks through a council estate a range of people, from police and paramedics to disdainful schoolmates and a funeral procession, become a crowd following him.
At the end of the ad he turns around and is confronted by a mass of people who have all been affected by his involvement in a stabbing.
The TV campaign will be supported by 30-second radio ads on Kiss and Choice, online advertising, school posters, flyers and events in London.
Media planning and buying for the campaign was handled by agency Mediacom, with a website, www.droptheweapons.org, developed by digital firm Elvis.
Unveiled today by the Met at an event near Leicester Square in central London, the campaign will be led by a 90-second TV ad that breaks tonight.
The TV ads will be shown exclusively on Viacom channel MTV for two weeks.
The Met's push follows fatal stabbings that have claimed the lives of more than 20 young people in London this year.
Ad agency MCBD's TV commercial aims to show young people that carrying a knife can escalate minor situations into potentially lethal ones.
The ad, which uses the strapline "Carry a knife and the consequences will follow", tells the story of a young boy at home who nonchalantly slips a knife into his pocket and heads out.
As he walks through a council estate a range of people, from police and paramedics to disdainful schoolmates and a funeral procession, become a crowd following him.
At the end of the ad he turns around and is confronted by a mass of people who have all been affected by his involvement in a stabbing.
The TV campaign will be supported by 30-second radio ads on Kiss and Choice, online advertising, school posters, flyers and events in London.
Media planning and buying for the campaign was handled by agency Mediacom, with a website, www.droptheweapons.org, developed by digital firm Elvis.
14-year-old boy stabbed to death in Hackney, east London
A 14-year-old boy has been stabbed to death in Hackney, east London, Scotland Yard said today.
He was taken to an East London hospital after suffering a single stab wound to the stomach in St Thomas's place at 11.45pm last night but died just before 8.15am this morning.
A 16-year-old girl suffered slash wounds during the incident and is in hospital in a stable condition. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
No one has been arrested in connection with the incident. A post mortem examination is due to take place at midday tomorrow.
He was the 25th teenager to have been killed in the capital this year, and the 18th to have died after being stabbed.
It follows the death of Luke Howard in Liverpool yesterday after being stabbed following an argument at a party in the Old Swan area of the city.
A 15-year-old boy who handed himself in at a police station was yesterday arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to Luke's death.
He was taken to an East London hospital after suffering a single stab wound to the stomach in St Thomas's place at 11.45pm last night but died just before 8.15am this morning.
A 16-year-old girl suffered slash wounds during the incident and is in hospital in a stable condition. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
No one has been arrested in connection with the incident. A post mortem examination is due to take place at midday tomorrow.
He was the 25th teenager to have been killed in the capital this year, and the 18th to have died after being stabbed.
It follows the death of Luke Howard in Liverpool yesterday after being stabbed following an argument at a party in the Old Swan area of the city.
A 15-year-old boy who handed himself in at a police station was yesterday arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to Luke's death.
Teenager stabbed to death after party row
A murder investigation has been launched after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death following an argument at a party in Liverpool.
Police were called to a house in Ashcombe Road, Old Swan, just after 7am today where they discovered the youth had been stabbed, a spokeswoman for Merseyside police said. He died in hospital.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being questioned by detectives.
A Home Office post-mortem examination is due to take place.
Superintendent Graham Yip of Merseyside police said: "It appears that this incident took place following an argument at a party at this property.
"We are appealing for anyone who was at the address during the course of this party to come forward and make contact with the police.
"House-to-house inquiries are ongoing and there is a high visibility police presence in the area."
Police were called to a house in Ashcombe Road, Old Swan, just after 7am today where they discovered the youth had been stabbed, a spokeswoman for Merseyside police said. He died in hospital.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being questioned by detectives.
A Home Office post-mortem examination is due to take place.
Superintendent Graham Yip of Merseyside police said: "It appears that this incident took place following an argument at a party at this property.
"We are appealing for anyone who was at the address during the course of this party to come forward and make contact with the police.
"House-to-house inquiries are ongoing and there is a high visibility police presence in the area."
Notting Hill: Weapons seized as violence mars carnival
The haul of weapons confiscated at the weekend's Notting Hill carnival included knives, a Taser gun, CS spray and a baseball bat, police said yesterday.
Officers patrolling the annual event arrested 330 people and stopped a further 151 potential troublemakers from travelling to west London.
Although the Metropolitan police said their "proactive" approach had worked well, and more than a million people celebrated, the end of the street party on Monday night was marred by battles between police and 40 youths throwing bricks and bottles.
Chief Inspector Jo Edwards said the crackdown - which included deploying knife scanner arches around the tube network - had helped ensure most of the weekend's 850,000 visitors enjoyed the event peacefully.
Officers patrolling the annual event arrested 330 people and stopped a further 151 potential troublemakers from travelling to west London.
Although the Metropolitan police said their "proactive" approach had worked well, and more than a million people celebrated, the end of the street party on Monday night was marred by battles between police and 40 youths throwing bricks and bottles.
Chief Inspector Jo Edwards said the crackdown - which included deploying knife scanner arches around the tube network - had helped ensure most of the weekend's 850,000 visitors enjoyed the event peacefully.
Turf war theory in knife murder of teenager
A teenager stabbed to death near the site of a planned Olympics party may have found himself in the middle of a turf war, it emerged yesterday.
Charles Junior Hendricks, 18, became the 24th teenager to be murdered in the capital this year when he was attacked near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London, early on Sunday. He was taken to Whipps Cross hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Organisers of the London Olympics had intended to show the closing ceremony of the Beijing games on a giant screen near the scene, but police cordoned off the area following the stabbing.
Yesterday, his friends said CJ, as he was known, was not a gang member but the victim of rivalry between two groups.
One woman, visiting the spot where he was killed, said: "It's called gang war. He wasn't in a gang himself, but he got caught up in something that was going on, he was in between something."
Charles Junior Hendricks, 18, became the 24th teenager to be murdered in the capital this year when he was attacked near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London, early on Sunday. He was taken to Whipps Cross hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Organisers of the London Olympics had intended to show the closing ceremony of the Beijing games on a giant screen near the scene, but police cordoned off the area following the stabbing.
Yesterday, his friends said CJ, as he was known, was not a gang member but the victim of rivalry between two groups.
One woman, visiting the spot where he was killed, said: "It's called gang war. He wasn't in a gang himself, but he got caught up in something that was going on, he was in between something."
Two arrested over stabbing in east London
Police have arrested two people in connection with the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old in London early yesterday. The attack brings to 24 the number of teenagers killed in stabbings and shootings in the capital this year.
The victim was knifed near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London, and was taken by ambulance to the nearby Whipps Cross hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
One of the two people arrested was a 17-year-old who was treated in hospital for a minor slash wound to his arm before being taken to an east London police station. The other person, in his late teens or early 20s, was also taken to an east London police station.
Celebrations planned in Walthamstow to mark the handover of the Olympic flag to London were cancelled.
Officers on a routine patrol saw two or three men running away from a grassy area in Walthamstow at 1.40am yesterday and then discovered a man with a stab wound, according to the Metropolitan police. The two arrests were made near the scene, off Selborne Road.
John Sandlin, an acting detective chief inspector, said: "I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the murder to please contact police with any information. The incident happened close to a well-lit bus garage in Walthamstow central. Did you see several males in the grass area near to the bus garage and close to Selborne Walk shopping centre? Did you see anyone run from the scene?"
Last night police revealed they know the identity of the dead teenager but were awaiting formal identification and confirmation that next of kin had been informed, before releasing the name. A postmortem examination will be held at Walthamstow mortuary today.
Friends of the teenager left tributes and flowers to him at the scene of his death. One note read: "To my darling ... will miss your smile so much. RIP babe, love you always ..." Another message on the same card read: "I will never forget you. You will always be there in my memories, in my heart."
The victim was knifed near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London, and was taken by ambulance to the nearby Whipps Cross hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
One of the two people arrested was a 17-year-old who was treated in hospital for a minor slash wound to his arm before being taken to an east London police station. The other person, in his late teens or early 20s, was also taken to an east London police station.
Celebrations planned in Walthamstow to mark the handover of the Olympic flag to London were cancelled.
Officers on a routine patrol saw two or three men running away from a grassy area in Walthamstow at 1.40am yesterday and then discovered a man with a stab wound, according to the Metropolitan police. The two arrests were made near the scene, off Selborne Road.
John Sandlin, an acting detective chief inspector, said: "I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the murder to please contact police with any information. The incident happened close to a well-lit bus garage in Walthamstow central. Did you see several males in the grass area near to the bus garage and close to Selborne Walk shopping centre? Did you see anyone run from the scene?"
Last night police revealed they know the identity of the dead teenager but were awaiting formal identification and confirmation that next of kin had been informed, before releasing the name. A postmortem examination will be held at Walthamstow mortuary today.
Friends of the teenager left tributes and flowers to him at the scene of his death. One note read: "To my darling ... will miss your smile so much. RIP babe, love you always ..." Another message on the same card read: "I will never forget you. You will always be there in my memories, in my heart."
Three killed in weekend violence
An 18-year-old was stabbed to death near a London shopping centre this morning, the 24th teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
It was one of several violent incidents around the country at the weekend, with two more people killed in the West Midlands. One man died after being shot last night and another died of serious injuries following an attack early this morning.
The fatal stabbing happened at around 1.40am in Walthamstow, east London. The victim was later named as Charles Junior Hendricks.
A police spokesman said: "The victim - believed to be aged 18 years - was taken by London Ambulance to Whipps Cross hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival." Two youths were arrested near the scene.
In a separate incident in the capital, a man in his late 20s was in a serious condition in hospital today after being stabbed at around 6.30am in Brixton, south London.
In Birmingham, 24-year-old Dimitri Foskin died in hospital after being shot in Hockley Close, Newtown, at 10.15pm yesterday. It was the third fatal shooting in the area in less than a year.
West Midlands police also launched a murder inquiry after a 21-year-old man died from serious injuries received during an attack in Wolverhampton city centre. Police said the man was not shot but did not say how he died or where he was attacked.
It was one of several violent incidents around the country at the weekend, with two more people killed in the West Midlands. One man died after being shot last night and another died of serious injuries following an attack early this morning.
The fatal stabbing happened at around 1.40am in Walthamstow, east London. The victim was later named as Charles Junior Hendricks.
A police spokesman said: "The victim - believed to be aged 18 years - was taken by London Ambulance to Whipps Cross hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival." Two youths were arrested near the scene.
In a separate incident in the capital, a man in his late 20s was in a serious condition in hospital today after being stabbed at around 6.30am in Brixton, south London.
In Birmingham, 24-year-old Dimitri Foskin died in hospital after being shot in Hockley Close, Newtown, at 10.15pm yesterday. It was the third fatal shooting in the area in less than a year.
West Midlands police also launched a murder inquiry after a 21-year-old man died from serious injuries received during an attack in Wolverhampton city centre. Police said the man was not shot but did not say how he died or where he was attacked.
Notting Hill troublemakers face knife detector searches
Police patrolling this weekend's Notting Hill carnival will deploy knife scanner arches across the tube network, carry metal detector wands and use special dog units to create a "hostile environment" for criminals, a senior Scotland Yard detective said yesterday.
Video surveillance officers will also scrutinise live CCTV footage of the annual west London street party to pick out known criminals and troublemakers among a crowd of around 750,000.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, who is in charge of policing, said a handful of arrests had already been made during 24 raids in the run-up to this weekend and a number of knives and a gun with ammunition recovered.
Police will work alongside Operation Blunt 2, the Met's large ongoing anti-knife drive, while a number of specialist dog units will target those who bring illegal dogs to the carnival to use as weapons.
Two hundred new wands have been purchased to be used alongside existing kit by the 5,000 officers due to work at the carnival on Sunday and the 6,000 on Monday. "We are trying to make the carnival a hostile environment for anyone who wants to go to commit crimes and disorder," he said.
"As well as the warrants we've issued we have sent 200 letters to known people advising them not to come to carnival. I would say if you get a search wand put over you there's nothing to worry about, it's just to make sure everyone is safe.
"There are 750,000 people coming to carnival this weekend. The vast majority will have a good safe time. It's just the minority we want to deter."
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Crowther of the British Transport police said metal detection arches would be deployed throughout the tube network "sending a very clear message: don't bring weapons because we could be anywhere".
His sentiments were echoed by Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, who said: "There is no excuse for anyone to take a weapon to the carnival."
Video surveillance officers will also scrutinise live CCTV footage of the annual west London street party to pick out known criminals and troublemakers among a crowd of around 750,000.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, who is in charge of policing, said a handful of arrests had already been made during 24 raids in the run-up to this weekend and a number of knives and a gun with ammunition recovered.
Police will work alongside Operation Blunt 2, the Met's large ongoing anti-knife drive, while a number of specialist dog units will target those who bring illegal dogs to the carnival to use as weapons.
Two hundred new wands have been purchased to be used alongside existing kit by the 5,000 officers due to work at the carnival on Sunday and the 6,000 on Monday. "We are trying to make the carnival a hostile environment for anyone who wants to go to commit crimes and disorder," he said.
"As well as the warrants we've issued we have sent 200 letters to known people advising them not to come to carnival. I would say if you get a search wand put over you there's nothing to worry about, it's just to make sure everyone is safe.
"There are 750,000 people coming to carnival this weekend. The vast majority will have a good safe time. It's just the minority we want to deter."
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Crowther of the British Transport police said metal detection arches would be deployed throughout the tube network "sending a very clear message: don't bring weapons because we could be anywhere".
His sentiments were echoed by Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, who said: "There is no excuse for anyone to take a weapon to the carnival."
Boy was chased by gang before fatal tower block fall
A teenager who fell to his death from a block of flats yesterday had been climbing down the outside of the building to escape a gang, police said today.
Ahmed Benyermak, who fell from a building on the Trelawney estate in Hackney, east London, may have feared he was about to be attacked with a knife, residents said.
The 16-year-old began climbing down from a 13th floor balcony on the block, in Paragon Road, descending six stories before finding his way blocked by a metal grille and losing his footing, police said.
Ahmed, who had been due to pick up his GCSE results today, was pronounced dead at the scene at 4pm yesterday.
"This is a tragic and unnecessary death," Detective Chief Inspector Ian Stevenson, leading the inquiry, said.
"The victim was with a group of friends on the 13th floor of a tower block when they became concerned about another group of youths cycling towards the tower block. This caused the victim and his friends to leave the area.
"The victim was separated from his friends. He climbed onto the outside of the tower block via an open balcony and then climbed down several floors trying to escape.
"He reached the seventh floor, when he could no longer carry on. After this point, he fell to his death."
The other group of youths were described as black males. Some were wearing hooded tops, while others wore bandanas.
Neighbours said they had heard that Ahmed had inadvertently attracted the attention of a gang as they threatened someone else.
"I've heard that he saw a gang chasing someone else and he thought they were carrying knives," one said. "Apparently when he saw the knives he started to run towards the flats and the gang chased him."
Ahmed's headmaster at the Hackney Free and Parochial secondary school, Richard Brown, said: "We expected today to be about GCSE results, and what you then find is one of the youngsters who has worked very hard for their GCSEs has been the victim of this tragedy. People are very shocked and upset.
"The great achievement is he achieved 9 GCSEs. I've spoken to his family this morning, and they are most proud of the fact that he got a C in maths and a C in science. He also got two other C grades."
A post mortem examination revealed that Ahmed died of a ruptured aorta, the main artery taking blood to the heart.
An incident room has been set up, and police are appealing for witnesses. No arrests have been made.
Ahmed Benyermak, who fell from a building on the Trelawney estate in Hackney, east London, may have feared he was about to be attacked with a knife, residents said.
The 16-year-old began climbing down from a 13th floor balcony on the block, in Paragon Road, descending six stories before finding his way blocked by a metal grille and losing his footing, police said.
Ahmed, who had been due to pick up his GCSE results today, was pronounced dead at the scene at 4pm yesterday.
"This is a tragic and unnecessary death," Detective Chief Inspector Ian Stevenson, leading the inquiry, said.
"The victim was with a group of friends on the 13th floor of a tower block when they became concerned about another group of youths cycling towards the tower block. This caused the victim and his friends to leave the area.
"The victim was separated from his friends. He climbed onto the outside of the tower block via an open balcony and then climbed down several floors trying to escape.
"He reached the seventh floor, when he could no longer carry on. After this point, he fell to his death."
The other group of youths were described as black males. Some were wearing hooded tops, while others wore bandanas.
Neighbours said they had heard that Ahmed had inadvertently attracted the attention of a gang as they threatened someone else.
"I've heard that he saw a gang chasing someone else and he thought they were carrying knives," one said. "Apparently when he saw the knives he started to run towards the flats and the gang chased him."
Ahmed's headmaster at the Hackney Free and Parochial secondary school, Richard Brown, said: "We expected today to be about GCSE results, and what you then find is one of the youngsters who has worked very hard for their GCSEs has been the victim of this tragedy. People are very shocked and upset.
"The great achievement is he achieved 9 GCSEs. I've spoken to his family this morning, and they are most proud of the fact that he got a C in maths and a C in science. He also got two other C grades."
A post mortem examination revealed that Ahmed died of a ruptured aorta, the main artery taking blood to the heart.
An incident room has been set up, and police are appealing for witnesses. No arrests have been made.
Teenager may have been stabbed by drunken racist
Police are investigating a possible racist motive for the murder of a teenager who was stabbed in the throat at the weekend.
Nilanthan Murddi, 17, known as Niloo to his friends and from the Sri Lankan Tamil community, was killed in the early hours of Saturday in Croydon, south London. Police are still trying to trace a white man who is believed to have exchanged words with Nilanthan's group while waiting in a licensed minicab at traffic lights at about 1am.
Police said the man, who was also arguing with the mincab driver, returned about 30 minutes later and a fight broke out in which Nilanthan was attacked. He later died from a single knife wound to his neck. Detective Chief Inspector Tim Grattan-Kane said: "We remain dedicated to finding and prosecuting the person responsible for Nilanthan's murder, irrespective of whether the incident is racially motivated or otherwise. However, should that prove to be the case it only serves to further highlight the tragedy of this young man's murder."
Police said they had received an allegation concerning racist language used against Nilanthan and his friends.
According to one report, a drunk, white man was heard shouting "You fucking Paki" from a minicab before returning and appearing to punch Nilanthan.
Police said they were still trying to trace the driver of the cab, believed to be either a Ford Mondeo or VW Passat. The passenger, a white man in his 20s or early 30s and around 5ft 7in, was wearing a dark waistlength jacket and jeans.
A 31-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the murder has been bailed to return in September.
Grattan-Kane said: "We have now spoken to several witnesses and built up a good description of the suspect. Given that the suspect returned approximately 30 minutes after the exchange of words at the traffic lights it is highly likely he lives locally. The taxi driver has not come forward yet and it is vitally important we hear from him."
Nilanthan Murddi, 17, known as Niloo to his friends and from the Sri Lankan Tamil community, was killed in the early hours of Saturday in Croydon, south London. Police are still trying to trace a white man who is believed to have exchanged words with Nilanthan's group while waiting in a licensed minicab at traffic lights at about 1am.
Police said the man, who was also arguing with the mincab driver, returned about 30 minutes later and a fight broke out in which Nilanthan was attacked. He later died from a single knife wound to his neck. Detective Chief Inspector Tim Grattan-Kane said: "We remain dedicated to finding and prosecuting the person responsible for Nilanthan's murder, irrespective of whether the incident is racially motivated or otherwise. However, should that prove to be the case it only serves to further highlight the tragedy of this young man's murder."
Police said they had received an allegation concerning racist language used against Nilanthan and his friends.
According to one report, a drunk, white man was heard shouting "You fucking Paki" from a minicab before returning and appearing to punch Nilanthan.
Police said they were still trying to trace the driver of the cab, believed to be either a Ford Mondeo or VW Passat. The passenger, a white man in his 20s or early 30s and around 5ft 7in, was wearing a dark waistlength jacket and jeans.
A 31-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the murder has been bailed to return in September.
Grattan-Kane said: "We have now spoken to several witnesses and built up a good description of the suspect. Given that the suspect returned approximately 30 minutes after the exchange of words at the traffic lights it is highly likely he lives locally. The taxi driver has not come forward yet and it is vitally important we hear from him."
Ministers want doctors to tell police if they treat patients with wounds from knife attack
· Victim's name and address would not be disclosed
· England footballers endorse campaign
Doctors will be told to inform the police whenever somebody arrives in hospital with a wound inflicted in a knife attack, under draft guidance drawn up by the General Medical Council and the Department of Health.
But accident and emergency doctors will not have to breach confidentiality by disclosing identifying details such as the patient's name and address when they first make contact.
The guidance, which will go out to consultation next month, is designed to end the dispute between the government and doctors over the medical reporting of knife wounds. Doctors have been anxious to avoid a situation where knife crime victims are deterred from going to hospital because they fear they will have to name names.
Police will not have to be informed if the injury to the patient is accidental or self-inflicted.
The guidance was disclosed as the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced that an extra 85 search arches and 566 search wands are to be made available to the police in the 10 knife crime "hotspots" involved in the action programme to tackle knives.
Smith said 55,000 people had been stopped and searched for knives in the 10 areas since the campaign was launched on June 5, with 2,500 arrests made for knife-related offences and 1,600 knives or other blades confiscated.
The figures were released as three England football stars, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and David James, joined Smith at a press conference in Watford to endorse the government's campaign, "It doesn't have to happen", urging young people not to carry knives.
Smith said the deaths of Conor James Black in Manchester and Nilanthan Murddi in Croydon, south London, at the weekend showed why the campaign was so important. "If you carry a knife you are now more likely to get caught, more likely to be prosecuted and more likely to go to prison if found guilty," she said.
Beckham said the stabbing of the brother of one of his best friends when he was a young teenager lay behind his support for the campaign. His friend, who was about to sign a contract with Leyton Orient when he intervened in a street fight, was stabbed in the back and left paralysed.
"No one wants to see the devastation I saw my friend and the family go through," said Beckham. "You don't expect situations that are happening whereby people go to school in the morning and then you never see them again because of incidents that have happened. We have got to help. We have got a voice that kids listen to so it is important we get involved in something like this."
Ferdinand said the death of Stephen Lawrence, who was several years older than him, had shaken everyone at his south-east London school. "I will never forget the day that the headmaster brought the school to a halt and said that Stephen had been killed the night before. It was a crazy atmosphere in school, very sombre and chilling. Something like that really does hit home. One day he is enjoying life, talking about doing an art A-level, and the next day he is gone."
Ferdinand, who said he did not carry a knife when he was teenager but was "around people that probably did for whatever reason", said children were wrong if they thought they needed to carry a knife for safety or to be a "big, bad tough guy".
He added: "In the past maybe there wasn't a strong enough deterrent for carrying knives. If you go to prison now, it will be a step in the right direction. People need to know it is not always the person intending to hurt someone who gets injured. People carrying the knives also get hurt.
"Communities and youth centres also need to play a bigger part. Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure, and then something happens that everyone regrets."
Smith said: "I'm delighted the FA and the England team are supporting our campaign warning youngsters about the severe consequences of knife crime.
"You can only solve this by working together. The England players are role models for this generation and I hope their messages have a positive impact."
· England footballers endorse campaign
Doctors will be told to inform the police whenever somebody arrives in hospital with a wound inflicted in a knife attack, under draft guidance drawn up by the General Medical Council and the Department of Health.
But accident and emergency doctors will not have to breach confidentiality by disclosing identifying details such as the patient's name and address when they first make contact.
The guidance, which will go out to consultation next month, is designed to end the dispute between the government and doctors over the medical reporting of knife wounds. Doctors have been anxious to avoid a situation where knife crime victims are deterred from going to hospital because they fear they will have to name names.
Police will not have to be informed if the injury to the patient is accidental or self-inflicted.
The guidance was disclosed as the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced that an extra 85 search arches and 566 search wands are to be made available to the police in the 10 knife crime "hotspots" involved in the action programme to tackle knives.
Smith said 55,000 people had been stopped and searched for knives in the 10 areas since the campaign was launched on June 5, with 2,500 arrests made for knife-related offences and 1,600 knives or other blades confiscated.
The figures were released as three England football stars, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and David James, joined Smith at a press conference in Watford to endorse the government's campaign, "It doesn't have to happen", urging young people not to carry knives.
Smith said the deaths of Conor James Black in Manchester and Nilanthan Murddi in Croydon, south London, at the weekend showed why the campaign was so important. "If you carry a knife you are now more likely to get caught, more likely to be prosecuted and more likely to go to prison if found guilty," she said.
Beckham said the stabbing of the brother of one of his best friends when he was a young teenager lay behind his support for the campaign. His friend, who was about to sign a contract with Leyton Orient when he intervened in a street fight, was stabbed in the back and left paralysed.
"No one wants to see the devastation I saw my friend and the family go through," said Beckham. "You don't expect situations that are happening whereby people go to school in the morning and then you never see them again because of incidents that have happened. We have got to help. We have got a voice that kids listen to so it is important we get involved in something like this."
Ferdinand said the death of Stephen Lawrence, who was several years older than him, had shaken everyone at his south-east London school. "I will never forget the day that the headmaster brought the school to a halt and said that Stephen had been killed the night before. It was a crazy atmosphere in school, very sombre and chilling. Something like that really does hit home. One day he is enjoying life, talking about doing an art A-level, and the next day he is gone."
Ferdinand, who said he did not carry a knife when he was teenager but was "around people that probably did for whatever reason", said children were wrong if they thought they needed to carry a knife for safety or to be a "big, bad tough guy".
He added: "In the past maybe there wasn't a strong enough deterrent for carrying knives. If you go to prison now, it will be a step in the right direction. People need to know it is not always the person intending to hurt someone who gets injured. People carrying the knives also get hurt.
"Communities and youth centres also need to play a bigger part. Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure, and then something happens that everyone regrets."
Smith said: "I'm delighted the FA and the England team are supporting our campaign warning youngsters about the severe consequences of knife crime.
"You can only solve this by working together. The England players are role models for this generation and I hope their messages have a positive impact."
Man arrested over stabbing of Croydon teenager
A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed in the neck during a street fight in Croydon, south London.
Nilanthan Moorthy died of a single stab wound following the incident, which police think may have been racially motivated, at 1am on Saturday.
The man, aged 30, was arrested at an address in Sydenham, south London, in the early hours of this morning.
Scotland Yard believes a man who argued with Moorthy and a group of his friends may have returned shortly afterwards to carry out the attack.
An alleged racist comment was directed at the group in the early stages of the confrontation, police said.
Moorthy was the 23rd teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Grattan-Kane, who is leading the investigation, said: "We remain dedicated to finding and prosecuting the person responsible for Nilanthan's murder, irrespective of whether the incident is racially motivated or otherwise.
"However, should that prove to be the case, it only serves to further highlight the tragedy of this young man's murder."
Police are looking for a taxi driver who they believe may have had the suspect in his cab half an hour before the murder.
Moorthy's sister Santhiya, 18, said his parents had been "destroyed" by his death.
Nilanthan Moorthy died of a single stab wound following the incident, which police think may have been racially motivated, at 1am on Saturday.
The man, aged 30, was arrested at an address in Sydenham, south London, in the early hours of this morning.
Scotland Yard believes a man who argued with Moorthy and a group of his friends may have returned shortly afterwards to carry out the attack.
An alleged racist comment was directed at the group in the early stages of the confrontation, police said.
Moorthy was the 23rd teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Grattan-Kane, who is leading the investigation, said: "We remain dedicated to finding and prosecuting the person responsible for Nilanthan's murder, irrespective of whether the incident is racially motivated or otherwise.
"However, should that prove to be the case, it only serves to further highlight the tragedy of this young man's murder."
Police are looking for a taxi driver who they believe may have had the suspect in his cab half an hour before the murder.
Moorthy's sister Santhiya, 18, said his parents had been "destroyed" by his death.
Two teenagers killed in stabbings
Two teenagers were stabbed to death today in separate attacks in London and Manchester.
Connor James Black, 16, died from a stab wound after a row at a party in Harpurhey, Manchester.
The joinery student was rushed from the scene on Moston Lane but died on the way to hospital.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy died in London after being stabbed in a street fight. A man in his 20s was today arrested in connection with the murder.
Detective Superintendent Shaun Donnellan said Connor had been stabbed in the back and he appealed for anyone with information about a hooded figure seen running from the area to come forward.
"Connor was a member of a loving family though he was known to the police but not for anything serious,'' he said.
"As of yet there is no motive but it is very early days.
"He was stabbed in the back and had no defence against it."
Two knives have been found and were being tested for DNA and fingerprints, Donnellan said.
"There were many young people out and about last night. I am confident they have seen something.
"There is a willingness to help and people want to do the right thing."
Connor's brother and sister, Jordan and Kirsty Scullion, spoke of their shock as they laid flowers near the scene this morning.
Miss Scullion, 18, said: "He was a loveable lad who was never really in trouble.
"He was respectful but there had been trouble at this party. Someone told me that Connor was thought to have said something to someone, which he denied.
"It all then got out of hand and there was a commotion and he ended up getting stabbed. He wasn't the sort of lad who would look for trouble but he would back himself up."
Forensic officers examined the murder scene as detectives and patrol officers carried out house-to-house inquiries.
Jordan Scullion, 15, said: "He was a really good lad, I can't believe this has happened.
"He had everything to live for and was a normal young lad, into football."
In London, police were called at 1.33am to reports of a group of between six and eight men fighting on Sumner Road at the junction with London Road in Croydon.
Police and ambulance staff found the 17-year-old, who is Sri Lankan, with a wound to the neck.
He was taken to the nearby Mayday hospital, where he later died.
Connor James Black, 16, died from a stab wound after a row at a party in Harpurhey, Manchester.
The joinery student was rushed from the scene on Moston Lane but died on the way to hospital.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy died in London after being stabbed in a street fight. A man in his 20s was today arrested in connection with the murder.
Detective Superintendent Shaun Donnellan said Connor had been stabbed in the back and he appealed for anyone with information about a hooded figure seen running from the area to come forward.
"Connor was a member of a loving family though he was known to the police but not for anything serious,'' he said.
"As of yet there is no motive but it is very early days.
"He was stabbed in the back and had no defence against it."
Two knives have been found and were being tested for DNA and fingerprints, Donnellan said.
"There were many young people out and about last night. I am confident they have seen something.
"There is a willingness to help and people want to do the right thing."
Connor's brother and sister, Jordan and Kirsty Scullion, spoke of their shock as they laid flowers near the scene this morning.
Miss Scullion, 18, said: "He was a loveable lad who was never really in trouble.
"He was respectful but there had been trouble at this party. Someone told me that Connor was thought to have said something to someone, which he denied.
"It all then got out of hand and there was a commotion and he ended up getting stabbed. He wasn't the sort of lad who would look for trouble but he would back himself up."
Forensic officers examined the murder scene as detectives and patrol officers carried out house-to-house inquiries.
Jordan Scullion, 15, said: "He was a really good lad, I can't believe this has happened.
"He had everything to live for and was a normal young lad, into football."
In London, police were called at 1.33am to reports of a group of between six and eight men fighting on Sumner Road at the junction with London Road in Croydon.
Police and ambulance staff found the 17-year-old, who is Sri Lankan, with a wound to the neck.
He was taken to the nearby Mayday hospital, where he later died.
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Crackdown on shops selling knives to teenagers
Young volunteers will help police flush out shopkeepers who illegally sell knives to children.
Retailers across England and Wales face a "mystery shopper" crackdown as part of the drive to tackle knife crime.
Government ministers and police chiefs want to stop dangerous weapons falling in to the hands of young people.
Ten police forces in England and Wales, covering stabbing hotspots such as London, the West Midlands, Manchester and West Yorkshire, will take part.
Volunteers aged under 18, supervised by plainclothes police officers and trading standards officials, will attempt to buy knives.
Those caught selling the potentially dangerous weapons to children face a fine of up to £5,000 and a maximum of six months in jail.
Anyone knowingly selling to an under-18 through internet sites, including eBay, would also commit an offence.
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said he is concerned about how young people can access knives.
Retailers across England and Wales face a "mystery shopper" crackdown as part of the drive to tackle knife crime.
Government ministers and police chiefs want to stop dangerous weapons falling in to the hands of young people.
Ten police forces in England and Wales, covering stabbing hotspots such as London, the West Midlands, Manchester and West Yorkshire, will take part.
Volunteers aged under 18, supervised by plainclothes police officers and trading standards officials, will attempt to buy knives.
Those caught selling the potentially dangerous weapons to children face a fine of up to £5,000 and a maximum of six months in jail.
Anyone knowingly selling to an under-18 through internet sites, including eBay, would also commit an offence.
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said he is concerned about how young people can access knives.
London knife possession charges fall 50%
The number of people charged with knife possession in London has fallen by half in the past four years, police said today.
New figures released by Scotland Yard show the number of people charged with possessing a knife or sharp instrument has dropped by just over 50% since 2004.
The data reveal that 2,810 people were charged with possession in 2004, but that fell to 1,361 in the 12 months to April this year.
In London this year, 22 teenagers have died violently, 15 of those in stabbings.
"Tackling knife crime is a top priority for the Met, with enforcement activity taking place across the capital every day under Operation Blunt 2, which was launched in May," a Scotland Yard spokesman said.
The spokesman said 1,187 people - 887 adults and 300 youths - had been charged with possession of a knife or sharp instrument since the beginning of April this year. "That represents 88% of all of those arrested for this offence … with the charge rate having risen to over 90% in recent weeks."
Since the launch of Operation Blunt 2, police officers have carried out 48,869 stop and searches, seized 1,445 knives, carried out more than 340 screening arch operations and arrested more than 2,000 people.
Yesterday, the prime minister, Gordon Brown, said carrying a knife was "unacceptable ... You need not just young people, but parents and other people, to say that knives in Britain, like guns, like bullying, like racism, all these things are unacceptable."
Last week, magistrates were given new guidelines on sentencing those caught carrying knives. Offenders will now face a prison sentence of up to three months, while those using knives to threaten or intimidate face six months or more.
New figures released by Scotland Yard show the number of people charged with possessing a knife or sharp instrument has dropped by just over 50% since 2004.
The data reveal that 2,810 people were charged with possession in 2004, but that fell to 1,361 in the 12 months to April this year.
In London this year, 22 teenagers have died violently, 15 of those in stabbings.
"Tackling knife crime is a top priority for the Met, with enforcement activity taking place across the capital every day under Operation Blunt 2, which was launched in May," a Scotland Yard spokesman said.
The spokesman said 1,187 people - 887 adults and 300 youths - had been charged with possession of a knife or sharp instrument since the beginning of April this year. "That represents 88% of all of those arrested for this offence … with the charge rate having risen to over 90% in recent weeks."
Since the launch of Operation Blunt 2, police officers have carried out 48,869 stop and searches, seized 1,445 knives, carried out more than 340 screening arch operations and arrested more than 2,000 people.
Yesterday, the prime minister, Gordon Brown, said carrying a knife was "unacceptable ... You need not just young people, but parents and other people, to say that knives in Britain, like guns, like bullying, like racism, all these things are unacceptable."
Last week, magistrates were given new guidelines on sentencing those caught carrying knives. Offenders will now face a prison sentence of up to three months, while those using knives to threaten or intimidate face six months or more.
16-year-old sentenced to life for stabbing schoolboy to death in 'revenge attack'
A 16-year-old boy who killed a 14-year-old by stabbing him as he lay pleading for his life on a London pavement was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment and told he would serve a minimum of 12 years.
Joseph Chin was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey last month and yesterday was led from the dock to his detention after killing schoolboy Martin Dinnegan in June last year. Killer and victim were part of two groups of youths that had exchanged dirty looks just one hour before. Kevron Williams, 17, who was convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, was given four years in youth detention.
Dinnegan had been on a bus with friends when they swapped stares with a group of youths on bicycles. When they got off the bus, a fight began between the groups and Dinnegan was chased. He held out his hands in a bid to placate his attacker but fell down after he was punched in the head. Chin pinned him to the ground before stabbing him four times in the back.
Judge Brian Barker said: "The public have every right to be concerned about the increased growth of this sort of violence. It is a tragedy that this sort of triviality caused such a young man to lose his life and has caused enduring heartache to his friends and family."
He went on: "This was a deliberate attack requiring a long chase with revenge in mind. This was really arrogant group violence and the result is totally unacceptable. It was an attack carried out without any regard to the standards and rules that we live by and no thought for the victim, his friends and his family."
The judge told Chin: "I have little doubt that you are a willful individual. You are prone to anger. You have shown a tendency to use violence when it suits you."
He told Williams he had been acting with "immaturity coupled with a misguided sense of principality and loyalty".
Chin stabbed Dinnegan after being knifed twice himself during a series of flare-ups between the two groups.
The judge told him: "This was a vengeful attack out of all proportion to what may have gone on before and no mercy was shown."
Chin had a criminal record dating back to 2004, including threatening a man with a hollow bar. In September 2006 he was given a 12-month supervision order after kicking a shopkeeper unconscious when challenged for stealing food. He was still under the order when Martin died the following June.
In a statement read to the court, Martin's mother Lorraine said: "Martin was a charming, loving boy who has left us with cherished memories that will remain with us forever.
"The pain that Martin's death has caused for our family is indescribable. Life will never be the same, a piece of our heart has been taken. We as a family will never make sense of the unnecessary suffering that was inflicted upon Martin. It was extremely sad to be burying Martin at the tender age of 14."
Acting detective chief inspector Stewart Hill said: "The murder of Martin highlights the potentially fatal consequences that may result from carrying knives and other weapons. In this case an innocuous meeting of two groups of youths escalated into a series of confrontations resulting in Martin's tragic murder. "
Prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee QC said: "This case graphically illustrates the growing scourge of urban posturing, which includes the aimless meandering among groups of people who are prepared to, if not actively seeking confrontation, exploit any pretext in order to engage in aggressive violent behaviour."
Joseph Chin was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey last month and yesterday was led from the dock to his detention after killing schoolboy Martin Dinnegan in June last year. Killer and victim were part of two groups of youths that had exchanged dirty looks just one hour before. Kevron Williams, 17, who was convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, was given four years in youth detention.
Dinnegan had been on a bus with friends when they swapped stares with a group of youths on bicycles. When they got off the bus, a fight began between the groups and Dinnegan was chased. He held out his hands in a bid to placate his attacker but fell down after he was punched in the head. Chin pinned him to the ground before stabbing him four times in the back.
Judge Brian Barker said: "The public have every right to be concerned about the increased growth of this sort of violence. It is a tragedy that this sort of triviality caused such a young man to lose his life and has caused enduring heartache to his friends and family."
He went on: "This was a deliberate attack requiring a long chase with revenge in mind. This was really arrogant group violence and the result is totally unacceptable. It was an attack carried out without any regard to the standards and rules that we live by and no thought for the victim, his friends and his family."
The judge told Chin: "I have little doubt that you are a willful individual. You are prone to anger. You have shown a tendency to use violence when it suits you."
He told Williams he had been acting with "immaturity coupled with a misguided sense of principality and loyalty".
Chin stabbed Dinnegan after being knifed twice himself during a series of flare-ups between the two groups.
The judge told him: "This was a vengeful attack out of all proportion to what may have gone on before and no mercy was shown."
Chin had a criminal record dating back to 2004, including threatening a man with a hollow bar. In September 2006 he was given a 12-month supervision order after kicking a shopkeeper unconscious when challenged for stealing food. He was still under the order when Martin died the following June.
In a statement read to the court, Martin's mother Lorraine said: "Martin was a charming, loving boy who has left us with cherished memories that will remain with us forever.
"The pain that Martin's death has caused for our family is indescribable. Life will never be the same, a piece of our heart has been taken. We as a family will never make sense of the unnecessary suffering that was inflicted upon Martin. It was extremely sad to be burying Martin at the tender age of 14."
Acting detective chief inspector Stewart Hill said: "The murder of Martin highlights the potentially fatal consequences that may result from carrying knives and other weapons. In this case an innocuous meeting of two groups of youths escalated into a series of confrontations resulting in Martin's tragic murder. "
Prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee QC said: "This case graphically illustrates the growing scourge of urban posturing, which includes the aimless meandering among groups of people who are prepared to, if not actively seeking confrontation, exploit any pretext in order to engage in aggressive violent behaviour."
Youth sentenced to life for knife murder of schoolboy
A 16-year-old youth was today sentenced to life for murdering the schoolboy Martin Dinnegan last June.
Joseph Chin will serve a minimum of 12 years in prison for stabbing his 14-year-old victim in the back four times in north London.
The attack happened following an exchange of "dirty looks" between two groups of teenagers in Holloway. Dinnegan tried to outrun his pursuers, shouting "Please help me" to passers-by as he fled.
"This was a deliberate attack requiring a long chase with revenge in mind," said the judge, Brian Barker.
"It was an attack carried out without any regard to the standards and rules that we live by and no thought for the victim, his friends and his family.
"It is a tragedy that this sort of triviality caused such a young man to lose his life and has caused enduring heartache to his friends and family."
Dinnegan's parents, Lorraine and James, who have called on Gordon Brown to tackle Britain's rampant knife culture, were at the Old Bailey with their eldest son to see Chin jailed.
The teenager can be named for the first time after a court ban on identifying him was lifted. He was unanimously convicted of murder by a jury last month.
Chin's friend Kevron Williams, 17, was convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent during the same attack, and was sentenced to four years' youth detention.
Dinnegan, a pupil at St Aloysius College in Highgate, was the 15th teenager murdered in London in 2007. He had moved to London 11 years ago with his parents from his mother's hometown, Glasgow.
During the trial, Aftab Jafferjee QC, prosecuting, said teenagers showing off in front of their friends and being prepared to use violence had become a scourge of cities and towns. "This is such a case, which leads from dirty looks to death in one hour," he said.
Chin stabbed Dinnegan after being knifed twice himself during a series of flare-ups between the two groups.
The teenager had a criminal record dating back to 2004, including the possession of a snooker ball in a sock and threatening a man with a hollow bar.
"You have shown a tendency to use violence when it suits you," the judge told Chin. "The public have every right to be concerned about the increase growth of this sort of violence."
Joseph Chin will serve a minimum of 12 years in prison for stabbing his 14-year-old victim in the back four times in north London.
The attack happened following an exchange of "dirty looks" between two groups of teenagers in Holloway. Dinnegan tried to outrun his pursuers, shouting "Please help me" to passers-by as he fled.
"This was a deliberate attack requiring a long chase with revenge in mind," said the judge, Brian Barker.
"It was an attack carried out without any regard to the standards and rules that we live by and no thought for the victim, his friends and his family.
"It is a tragedy that this sort of triviality caused such a young man to lose his life and has caused enduring heartache to his friends and family."
Dinnegan's parents, Lorraine and James, who have called on Gordon Brown to tackle Britain's rampant knife culture, were at the Old Bailey with their eldest son to see Chin jailed.
The teenager can be named for the first time after a court ban on identifying him was lifted. He was unanimously convicted of murder by a jury last month.
Chin's friend Kevron Williams, 17, was convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent during the same attack, and was sentenced to four years' youth detention.
Dinnegan, a pupil at St Aloysius College in Highgate, was the 15th teenager murdered in London in 2007. He had moved to London 11 years ago with his parents from his mother's hometown, Glasgow.
During the trial, Aftab Jafferjee QC, prosecuting, said teenagers showing off in front of their friends and being prepared to use violence had become a scourge of cities and towns. "This is such a case, which leads from dirty looks to death in one hour," he said.
Chin stabbed Dinnegan after being knifed twice himself during a series of flare-ups between the two groups.
The teenager had a criminal record dating back to 2004, including the possession of a snooker ball in a sock and threatening a man with a hollow bar.
"You have shown a tendency to use violence when it suits you," the judge told Chin. "The public have every right to be concerned about the increase growth of this sort of violence."
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
U-turn as magistrates told to jail knife carriers
People who carry knives will face prison sentences of up to three months, after a last minute U-turn on controversial guidance to magistrates.
The independent Sentencing Guidelines Council, widely criticised for suggesting the starting point for those caught in possession of a blade in public should be a fine or community service, has changed tack just before its advice was due to come into force tomorrow.
For a first-time adult offender pleading not guilty, that would mean 12 weeks in prison. For using a knife in so-called dangerous circumstances, such as to threaten or intimidate, defendants should be referred to the crown court where sentences could be six months or more.
The independent Sentencing Guidelines Council, widely criticised for suggesting the starting point for those caught in possession of a blade in public should be a fine or community service, has changed tack just before its advice was due to come into force tomorrow.
For a first-time adult offender pleading not guilty, that would mean 12 weeks in prison. For using a knife in so-called dangerous circumstances, such as to threaten or intimidate, defendants should be referred to the crown court where sentences could be six months or more.
Woman stabbed to death in south London
A 23yr old woman was stabbed in Battersea at about 9.20pm yesterday and died in hospital.
It is believed the woman, from nearby Wandsworth, knew her attacker, who fled on foot.
Although investigators are keeping an open mind about the motives behind the stabbing, a spokesman for the Metropolitan police said it "appeared to be some sort of domestic [argument]".
It is believed the woman, from nearby Wandsworth, knew her attacker, who fled on foot.
Although investigators are keeping an open mind about the motives behind the stabbing, a spokesman for the Metropolitan police said it "appeared to be some sort of domestic [argument]".
Crime: Woman killed hours after visit from police
Sussex police may be investigated over the murder of a young woman who was stabbed to death in a seaside resort hours after being visited by officers. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) last night confirmed it was assessing police involvement in the case of Cassandra Hasonvic, 24, who was killed in her home in Bognor Regis yesterday.
Her husband, Hajrudin Hasonvic, 32, of Eastney, Hampshire, has been charged with her murder and was due to appear before magistrates in Chichester today.
"We are not looking into the murder itself but police contact with the victim before the incident. It appears to be a domestic related incident and we have deployed a senior investigator and expect to take a decision soon."
The incident follows the murder in June of Aresema Dawit, 15, who was stabbed to death in a south London lift five weeks after Southwark police launched an investigation into complaints that she was being stalked and had received death threats.
Thomas Nugusse, 21, of Ilford, Essex, has been charged with her murder.
Her husband, Hajrudin Hasonvic, 32, of Eastney, Hampshire, has been charged with her murder and was due to appear before magistrates in Chichester today.
"We are not looking into the murder itself but police contact with the victim before the incident. It appears to be a domestic related incident and we have deployed a senior investigator and expect to take a decision soon."
The incident follows the murder in June of Aresema Dawit, 15, who was stabbed to death in a south London lift five weeks after Southwark police launched an investigation into complaints that she was being stalked and had received death threats.
Thomas Nugusse, 21, of Ilford, Essex, has been charged with her murder.
Facebook 'stabbing' game removed
A Facebook game that lets users 'shank' each other - street slang for stabbing - has been removed following complaints from anti-knife crime campaigners.
Although the application consists of mostly humorous actions, some of the options, such as smack, slap and shank, have darker connotations.
When the knife icon is sent to a Facebook friend they receive a message saying that they have been "shanked".
The application, made by US firm Slide for Facebook users, has now been removed from the social networking website.
Although the application consists of mostly humorous actions, some of the options, such as smack, slap and shank, have darker connotations.
When the knife icon is sent to a Facebook friend they receive a message saying that they have been "shanked".
The application, made by US firm Slide for Facebook users, has now been removed from the social networking website.
Punishment won't get rid of knife crime
The government's response to knife-crime hysteria, the youth crime action plan, is an expensive package of measures, almost exclusively punitive in nature. No surprises there. And let's not be surprised when it all ends in failure. When I've criticised the punitive approach before, people have often said: "OK, but why don't you come up with some solutions?" All right, then. Here are some solutions to the problems of knife crime on our streets. And you will not read the word "punishment" here.
ex-offenders & a few still serving were asked - "if knowing before the offence the length of sentence they would eventually receive would it have deterred them from committing the crime. **All said no. Punishment was not a deterrent.
They were asked to look at their crimes and suggest some causes:
>Early years spent in poverty
>Drug abusing parents
>Exposure to mental, physical or sexual abuse
Other factors include:
>mental health problems
>educational difficulties
>Drug and alcohol use
........and you get a picture of how the Knife-Wielding Hoodies Who Roam Our Streets were formed.
Tackling knife crime means identifiying very young children who are at risk and putting them on an intensive, long-term programme of psychological and social support that will enable them to deal with their own families and the world. Detractors shout that labelling youngsters in this way at such an early age could affect them for life. I say they'll be affected for life if we don't.
And the knife-wielders, that small group of unhappy, dyfunctional youths? We should be ashamed that we turned them out of the house. Any functioning family always involves the kids in its decision-making. It's time to bring them back round the table. What do they want and need? Support, guidance, kindness, jobs, schools that address their needs or some positive role models? Ask them. You will get some surprising and enlightening answers.
When I ask kids about what would help them most, they nearly always say: "Get me out of here." They want to change, but don't know how to.
· Mark Johnson, author of Wasted
ex-offenders & a few still serving were asked - "if knowing before the offence the length of sentence they would eventually receive would it have deterred them from committing the crime. **All said no. Punishment was not a deterrent.
They were asked to look at their crimes and suggest some causes:
>Early years spent in poverty
>Drug abusing parents
>Exposure to mental, physical or sexual abuse
Other factors include:
>mental health problems
>educational difficulties
>Drug and alcohol use
........and you get a picture of how the Knife-Wielding Hoodies Who Roam Our Streets were formed.
Tackling knife crime means identifiying very young children who are at risk and putting them on an intensive, long-term programme of psychological and social support that will enable them to deal with their own families and the world. Detractors shout that labelling youngsters in this way at such an early age could affect them for life. I say they'll be affected for life if we don't.
And the knife-wielders, that small group of unhappy, dyfunctional youths? We should be ashamed that we turned them out of the house. Any functioning family always involves the kids in its decision-making. It's time to bring them back round the table. What do they want and need? Support, guidance, kindness, jobs, schools that address their needs or some positive role models? Ask them. You will get some surprising and enlightening answers.
When I ask kids about what would help them most, they nearly always say: "Get me out of here." They want to change, but don't know how to.
· Mark Johnson, author of Wasted
One in five young men have faced knife threats, survey finds
One in five young men have been threatened with a knife and almost half know someone it has happened to, a survey reveals today.
The poll of 1,000 young people gives a bleak impression of increasing street violence and fear, which has left 78% of those questioned afraid to walk the streets.
After a spate of fatal stabbings, many felt pressured to carry a weapon (15%) and more than a quarter (27%) knew at least one person their age who did so. Many (11%) had been asked to join a gang.
But almost two-thirds of the young people polled said they feel the media misrepresents the issues facing young people.
The poll of 1,000 young people gives a bleak impression of increasing street violence and fear, which has left 78% of those questioned afraid to walk the streets.
After a spate of fatal stabbings, many felt pressured to carry a weapon (15%) and more than a quarter (27%) knew at least one person their age who did so. Many (11%) had been asked to join a gang.
But almost two-thirds of the young people polled said they feel the media misrepresents the issues facing young people.
Police make arrest after 21st London teenage killing of the year
Frederick Moody, an 18-year-old Kingston College student, became the 21st teenager to die in a violent attack this year.
He was found by police with a blade wound to his stomach in Guildford Road, south Lambeth, after officers were called to an assault in progress just after 7pm last night.
He was pronounced dead in hospital at 8.15pm.
Police say up to eight men wearing hooded tops, some with bikes, were involved in the attack. It is rumoured a play water fight in the street may have led to a row that sparked the stabbing.
The 16-year-old suspect was arrested earlier this morning at his home in nearby Brixton.
The funeral of another London teenage stab victim, 16-year-old Ben Kinsella, is taking place today.
He was found by police with a blade wound to his stomach in Guildford Road, south Lambeth, after officers were called to an assault in progress just after 7pm last night.
He was pronounced dead in hospital at 8.15pm.
Police say up to eight men wearing hooded tops, some with bikes, were involved in the attack. It is rumoured a play water fight in the street may have led to a row that sparked the stabbing.
The 16-year-old suspect was arrested earlier this morning at his home in nearby Brixton.
The funeral of another London teenage stab victim, 16-year-old Ben Kinsella, is taking place today.
Stab victim Ben Kinsella celebrated at fancy dress funeral
Dozens of teenagers dressed in colourful wigs, big sunglasses and T-shirts with anti-knife slogans as they attended the funeral of Ben Kinsella - as they celebrated the life of the 16-year-old, who died after being stabbed in north London during a night out on June 29.
More than 1,000 people packed St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic church in Islington, north London, for the service. They included former EastEnders cast members Michelle Ryan, Gillian Taylforth and James Alexandrou, current stars of the soap Charlie G Hawkins and Joe Swash, and the Birds Of A Feather actor Linda Robson, whose 16-year-old son, Louis, was with Kinsella as he died.
Before the service, his sister, Brooke Kinsella, the former EastEnders actor, pleaded for others to learn from his death and to lay down their weapons. The 24-year-old said: "Enough is enough. Do something now to make sure your brother, sister, son, or best friend's life doesn't end the same awful way.
"The problem is far worse than imagined. It's why we have to act so quickly. We have to inform youngsters and parents of the brutal truth and work hard, right now, to get rid of this menace."
A poem was written shortly before his death it read: "So what comes next for me? God knows. I don't. This is my home now and I've never felt better. I'm not scared any more. There's no weight on my shoulders, no struggle. Let's just see what a future here brings. But at the moment, this is living. Not death."
Kinsella was stabbed several times in York Way, Islington, after a fight in a bar spilled out on to the streets.
Three teenagers have been charged with his murder. Juress Kika, 18, Michael Alleyne, 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 19, have been remanded in custody until October 13.
More than 1,000 people packed St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic church in Islington, north London, for the service. They included former EastEnders cast members Michelle Ryan, Gillian Taylforth and James Alexandrou, current stars of the soap Charlie G Hawkins and Joe Swash, and the Birds Of A Feather actor Linda Robson, whose 16-year-old son, Louis, was with Kinsella as he died.
Before the service, his sister, Brooke Kinsella, the former EastEnders actor, pleaded for others to learn from his death and to lay down their weapons. The 24-year-old said: "Enough is enough. Do something now to make sure your brother, sister, son, or best friend's life doesn't end the same awful way.
"The problem is far worse than imagined. It's why we have to act so quickly. We have to inform youngsters and parents of the brutal truth and work hard, right now, to get rid of this menace."
A poem was written shortly before his death it read: "So what comes next for me? God knows. I don't. This is my home now and I've never felt better. I'm not scared any more. There's no weight on my shoulders, no struggle. Let's just see what a future here brings. But at the moment, this is living. Not death."
Kinsella was stabbed several times in York Way, Islington, after a fight in a bar spilled out on to the streets.
Three teenagers have been charged with his murder. Juress Kika, 18, Michael Alleyne, 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 19, have been remanded in custody until October 13.
Knife crime: Killer jailed for life for stabbing 17-year-old
Nigerian-born Chester Dauda, 21, has been jailed for life after he stabbed Stephen Boachie in the heart outside a pub in Barking in the early hours of January 1 2007, after a scuffle with the victim.
Boachie was the first of 27 London teenagers to be murdered in 2007.
Judge Martin Stephens QC said he must serve at least 14 years and recommended his deportation at the end of the jail term.
Dauda, who moved to Britain in 2004, was pulled off by friends but later fetched a knife from a car. On his return he pushed the teenager on to a car bonnet and stabbed him twice, in the stomach and chest. Initially Dauda told police he had been at Barking mosque and a friend's house on the night of the murder.
Judge Stephens added: "This was a deliberate act of outrageous violence committed on the victim aged but 17. Whatever he may have said or done to you earlier, there can't be the slightest excuse for what you did."
Boachie was the first of 27 London teenagers to be murdered in 2007.
Judge Martin Stephens QC said he must serve at least 14 years and recommended his deportation at the end of the jail term.
Dauda, who moved to Britain in 2004, was pulled off by friends but later fetched a knife from a car. On his return he pushed the teenager on to a car bonnet and stabbed him twice, in the stomach and chest. Initially Dauda told police he had been at Barking mosque and a friend's house on the night of the murder.
Judge Stephens added: "This was a deliberate act of outrageous violence committed on the victim aged but 17. Whatever he may have said or done to you earlier, there can't be the slightest excuse for what you did."
Most knife crime confined to big cities
More than 55% of knife and gun crime attacks in the last year were concentrated in inner city areas of London, Birmingham and Manchester, according to Home Office statistics published yesterday.
STATISTICS -knife or other sharp instrument, such as a broken bottle - 22,151 attacks in the last year.
-close to one in five of all violent attacks.
The annual murder rate was 784 people killed, up from 759 the previous year but below the 1,047 recorded six years ago.
But these figures are not broken down by type of death, so cannot used to determine whether fatal stabbings have played a greater or lesser role than usual. In past years they have accounted for about one third of all murders.
The 22,151 serious violent offences in which a knife was involved was the first time that such figures were collected and so it is not possible to determine a national trend. This figure excludes the number of offenders found in possession of a knife.
STATISTICS -knife or other sharp instrument, such as a broken bottle - 22,151 attacks in the last year.
-close to one in five of all violent attacks.
The annual murder rate was 784 people killed, up from 759 the previous year but below the 1,047 recorded six years ago.
But these figures are not broken down by type of death, so cannot used to determine whether fatal stabbings have played a greater or lesser role than usual. In past years they have accounted for about one third of all murders.
The 22,151 serious violent offences in which a knife was involved was the first time that such figures were collected and so it is not possible to determine a national trend. This figure excludes the number of offenders found in possession of a knife.
Knife Crime: Teenager stabbed to death in London
A male believed to be in his late teens was stabbed to death in Guilford Road, Lambeth, SW London.
The police responded to reports of an assult in progress, and found the victim suffering from one or more stab wounds to the stomach.
He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead at 8.15pm.
The 21st teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
The police responded to reports of an assult in progress, and found the victim suffering from one or more stab wounds to the stomach.
He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead at 8.15pm.
The 21st teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
Boris Johnson: We need to deglamorise knife crime
Gang members involved in knife crime should be seen as "moronic" rather than as glamorous figures like Shakespeare's Mercutio, Boris Johnson said today.
Giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee, Johnson said: "My heart sinks when I hear and read of some of the language used to describe some of the victims of knife crime by other members of gangs.
"This stuff about 'You were a good soldier' or 'Fallen soldier'; we do need as repeatedly as possible as a society to detonate the myth that there is anything romantic or glamorous about these tragic episodes."
He added: "We need to deglamorise knife crime and make clear to people that this is moronic and wasteful.
"This is not the death of Mercutio taking place on the streets of London."
Asked to explain the reference to Romeo and Juliet, Johnson, who is often fond of quoting from the classics, said: "It is a guy called Mercutio who is killed in a gang fight.
"It is worth studying the text because it does teach you something about the bogus atmosphere of glamour that can surround these gangs and the sort of romantic, sentimental feelings that can start to occur with knife crime and gang culture generally."
Johnson said figures respected by young people, such as Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand, should be recruited to "speak against the evils of carrying knives".
Giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee, Johnson said: "My heart sinks when I hear and read of some of the language used to describe some of the victims of knife crime by other members of gangs.
"This stuff about 'You were a good soldier' or 'Fallen soldier'; we do need as repeatedly as possible as a society to detonate the myth that there is anything romantic or glamorous about these tragic episodes."
He added: "We need to deglamorise knife crime and make clear to people that this is moronic and wasteful.
"This is not the death of Mercutio taking place on the streets of London."
Asked to explain the reference to Romeo and Juliet, Johnson, who is often fond of quoting from the classics, said: "It is a guy called Mercutio who is killed in a gang fight.
"It is worth studying the text because it does teach you something about the bogus atmosphere of glamour that can surround these gangs and the sort of romantic, sentimental feelings that can start to occur with knife crime and gang culture generally."
Johnson said figures respected by young people, such as Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand, should be recruited to "speak against the evils of carrying knives".
Home secretary blames media for confusion over knife criminals' visits to victims in A&E
· Smith backtracks as No 10 proposals overshadowed
· PM to publish £100m family intervention plans
Gordon Brown's initiative of a huge expansion of family intervention projects to reduce youth crime was overshadowed yesterday when Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, was forced to backtrack on widely ridiculed plans to order perpetrators of knife crime to visit their victims in hospital.
Smith said the proposal had been misinterpreted by the media, but in at least two broadcast interviews on Sunday she failed to clarify her plans.
Dominic Grieve, the shadow home secretary, accused her of a U-turn and gimmickry. "This is yet another government announcement that has been conjured up in three days and collapsed in three hours," he said.
The Home Office insisted Smith had never advocated taking knife criminals to see their victims in hospital, a proposal that would have echoes of Tony Blair's plan for forcing yobs to march to cashpoints to pay fines.
In the Commons, Smith said: "I never said, and nor would it be sensible, for young people to be trailed through A&E wards while people were being served."
In two interviews including one with Adam Boulton for Sky news she was asked "One of those proposals is that people caught carrying knives should be taken to see people in hospital that have been stabbed or to meet the families of victims. Is that correct?" Smith replied: "It is."
At his monthly press conference, Brown said: "Too many people, young and old, do not feel safe in the streets, and sometimes even in their homes, as a result of the behaviour of a minority."
>Families in the worst trouble would sometimes be required to live in residential accommodation while they try to resolve their chaotic lives. Families that refuse could be evicted if they lived in social housing, Brown said.
>Brown also added: "We need to make it absolutely clear to everyone, especially young people, that in our country there are boundaries of acceptable behaviour. It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife".
>"Communities ... should have a role in deciding what they should do, cleaning up parks or scrubbing graffiti, and what time they should do it, such as cleaning the streets on Friday and Saturday night."
>He said community payback should be "tough, visible and effective", but he did not advocate that those undertaking it wear uniforms, as proposed by Casey.
· PM to publish £100m family intervention plans
Gordon Brown's initiative of a huge expansion of family intervention projects to reduce youth crime was overshadowed yesterday when Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, was forced to backtrack on widely ridiculed plans to order perpetrators of knife crime to visit their victims in hospital.
Smith said the proposal had been misinterpreted by the media, but in at least two broadcast interviews on Sunday she failed to clarify her plans.
Dominic Grieve, the shadow home secretary, accused her of a U-turn and gimmickry. "This is yet another government announcement that has been conjured up in three days and collapsed in three hours," he said.
The Home Office insisted Smith had never advocated taking knife criminals to see their victims in hospital, a proposal that would have echoes of Tony Blair's plan for forcing yobs to march to cashpoints to pay fines.
In the Commons, Smith said: "I never said, and nor would it be sensible, for young people to be trailed through A&E wards while people were being served."
In two interviews including one with Adam Boulton for Sky news she was asked "One of those proposals is that people caught carrying knives should be taken to see people in hospital that have been stabbed or to meet the families of victims. Is that correct?" Smith replied: "It is."
At his monthly press conference, Brown said: "Too many people, young and old, do not feel safe in the streets, and sometimes even in their homes, as a result of the behaviour of a minority."
>Families in the worst trouble would sometimes be required to live in residential accommodation while they try to resolve their chaotic lives. Families that refuse could be evicted if they lived in social housing, Brown said.
>Brown also added: "We need to make it absolutely clear to everyone, especially young people, that in our country there are boundaries of acceptable behaviour. It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife".
>"Communities ... should have a role in deciding what they should do, cleaning up parks or scrubbing graffiti, and what time they should do it, such as cleaning the streets on Friday and Saturday night."
>He said community payback should be "tough, visible and effective", but he did not advocate that those undertaking it wear uniforms, as proposed by Casey.
T in the Park: Music fan was stabbed 11 times
A music fan who was stabbed 11 times in an attack at a rock festival was nearly killed for trying to help a female friend caught up in a row with two men.
Tayside police said the 22-year-old man suffered eight stab wounds to the body and three to his head in an attack which is being treated as attempted murder. It is understood he tried to help his friend after she began arguing with two men who were urinating on her tent shortly after midnight on Saturday at the T in the Park festival in Kinross.
Eyewitnesses said he staggered through one of the campsites looking for help. He is now stable at Ninewells hospital in Dundee after treatment at the festival.
The victim, believed to be from Glasgow, was interviewed by detectives yesterday and police believe they have recovered useful scientific and eyewitness evidence from the scene and his clothing.
Tayside police said the 22-year-old man suffered eight stab wounds to the body and three to his head in an attack which is being treated as attempted murder. It is understood he tried to help his friend after she began arguing with two men who were urinating on her tent shortly after midnight on Saturday at the T in the Park festival in Kinross.
Eyewitnesses said he staggered through one of the campsites looking for help. He is now stable at Ninewells hospital in Dundee after treatment at the festival.
The victim, believed to be from Glasgow, was interviewed by detectives yesterday and police believe they have recovered useful scientific and eyewitness evidence from the scene and his clothing.
French student murders: second man in court
Daniel Sonnex, 23, of Etta Street, Deptford, south-east London, appeared in court and was charged with the killing of French students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, on June 29 this year.
Ferez and Bonomo were tied up and repeatedly stabbed in the head, neck and torso before the bedsit was set alight. Bonomo had been stabbed 196 times and Ferez 47 times.
There was no application for bail and one of the magistrates, Yvonne Powell, told Sonnex he would be remanded in custody until he appears at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing on October 20.
Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, has already been charged with the murders. Both men will face trial at the Old Bailey and also face charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
A 35-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman arrested at an address in Streatham, south London, on Wednesday have been bailed to return on dates in July and August respectively, pending further inquiries.
Both Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo were nearing the end of a three-month research placement studying DNA at Imperial College London when they were murdered.
Ferez and Bonomo were tied up and repeatedly stabbed in the head, neck and torso before the bedsit was set alight. Bonomo had been stabbed 196 times and Ferez 47 times.
There was no application for bail and one of the magistrates, Yvonne Powell, told Sonnex he would be remanded in custody until he appears at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing on October 20.
Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, has already been charged with the murders. Both men will face trial at the Old Bailey and also face charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
A 35-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman arrested at an address in Streatham, south London, on Wednesday have been bailed to return on dates in July and August respectively, pending further inquiries.
Both Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo were nearing the end of a three-month research placement studying DNA at Imperial College London when they were murdered.
Tackling knife crime: different approaches
One of the biggest schemes to combat knife crime is Operation Blunt, implemented by the Metropolitan police in November 2004 across 12 London boroughs. According to Met figures, the scheme led to a reduction in the number of knife-enabled offences soon after its launch. As a result of this success, Operation Blunt was rolled out across 32 boroughs in December 2005, marking the first time that every London borough had simultaneously targeted knife crime.
The policy included:
>educational programmes
>Knife search operations - metal detector arches & "dispersal zones"
>High visibility policing was increased
>Test purchases - where shops were checked for illegal knife sales
The operation also worked collaboratively with the British transport police and Transport for London to prevent people travelling on public transport with offensive weapons.
In May this year, the Met launched Operation Blunt Two – again using special search powers in high-risk areas and airport-style metal detectors. The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced a £5m package to tackle violent crime. Since then, 27,000 people have been searched, 1,200 arrested and 500 knives seized. Of those arrested, 95% have since been charged with weapons offences, the Met said.
DAMILOLA TAYLOR TRUST
Operation Blunt followed work done by the Damilola Taylor Trust, launched in November 2001 on the first anniversary of the death of the 11-year-old Nigerian boy after which it is named.
The trust tackles problem cycles facing todays youth such as:
>School expulsion
>Learning and behavioural difficulties
>drug and alcohol abuse
>Poor parenting
The Damilola Taylor centre, in Peckham, provides facilities such as football, dance, discussion forums and yoga to help to enfranchise young people and encourage them to pursue successful careers. The trust also helps support victims of crime.
CHICAGOS CEASEFIRE SCHEME
Some youth charities are starting to look to the US for ways to deal with knife crime. Some parts of America suffer far greater levels of gang-related violence than does the UK.
Gary Slutkin a doctor, has an approach which involves the stabbing "epidemic" as – an epidemic and a disease that can be treated.
His scheme, CeaseFire, launched in 1995, has been highly successful. While it is focused primarily on gun violence, the biggest problem in areas such as Chicago and Boston, Slutkin says the type of weapon is immaterial and the CeaseFire principles can be applied to all violent disputes on city streets.
The approach has two stages:
1st - as if fighting a contagious disease, CeaseFire locates the people who are the most "infectious" in spreading violence and hopes thereby to prevent its transmission.
2nd - longer-term step is likened to treating Aids among intravenous drug users and sexually promiscuous groups in that it tries to change the behaviour of whole groups – mainly youth gangs – so that stabbings become unacceptable.
The operation centres around the use of "credible messengers" to stop the transmission of violence. Partly the approach involves using infamous former gang members with status and knowledge of street gangs to influence youngsters where outreach workers and police might not be able to.
>In addition, "interrupters", as the programme calls them, spend a lot of time rushing to hospitals following stabbings to catch family and friends of a victim and prevent retaliation.
A three-year, $1m (£500,000) study by the US justice department found that six out of the seven neighbourhoods in which CeaseFire operated saw a 17-24% reduction in gun violence. In the first year of CeaseFire's activities in Chicago, shootings dropped by 67%.
ZERO TOLERANCE IN NEW YORK
Crime in New York City spiked in the 1980s, hitting a peak by 1990. More than 2,000 murders were fuelled by the crack epidemic that hit the city. During the administrations of Mayors Rudolph Guiliani and Michael Bloomberg, shootings and stabbings have fallen markedly. Rates of both petty and serious crime fell significantly and murders are now under 500 a year.
Some say its the New York police adopting the CompStat system which involves:
>executives attending weekly meetings with local precinct commanders to discuss policing strategies and improving quality of life in locally.
"Broken windows" policing derives from the criminology and urban sociology theories of George Kelling and Catherine Coles, from their book published in 1996. The authors compared successful crime-fighting to repairing broken windows, saying there was a tendency for vandals to do further damage if crime was left untreated.
>Giuliani's wove this approach into his "zero tolerance" policy. Police strictly enforced relatively minor laws to preempt more serious crime. Subway fare evaders were arrested, drinking and urinating on the street prevented and squeegee merchants clamped down upon.
Critics say Giuliani's policies in fact had little effect and that crime mainly fell because of the increase in policenumbers. New York now has the lowest crime rate among the 10 largest cities in the US.
The policy included:
>educational programmes
>Knife search operations - metal detector arches & "dispersal zones"
>High visibility policing was increased
>Test purchases - where shops were checked for illegal knife sales
The operation also worked collaboratively with the British transport police and Transport for London to prevent people travelling on public transport with offensive weapons.
In May this year, the Met launched Operation Blunt Two – again using special search powers in high-risk areas and airport-style metal detectors. The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced a £5m package to tackle violent crime. Since then, 27,000 people have been searched, 1,200 arrested and 500 knives seized. Of those arrested, 95% have since been charged with weapons offences, the Met said.
DAMILOLA TAYLOR TRUST
Operation Blunt followed work done by the Damilola Taylor Trust, launched in November 2001 on the first anniversary of the death of the 11-year-old Nigerian boy after which it is named.
The trust tackles problem cycles facing todays youth such as:
>School expulsion
>Learning and behavioural difficulties
>drug and alcohol abuse
>Poor parenting
The Damilola Taylor centre, in Peckham, provides facilities such as football, dance, discussion forums and yoga to help to enfranchise young people and encourage them to pursue successful careers. The trust also helps support victims of crime.
CHICAGOS CEASEFIRE SCHEME
Some youth charities are starting to look to the US for ways to deal with knife crime. Some parts of America suffer far greater levels of gang-related violence than does the UK.
Gary Slutkin a doctor, has an approach which involves the stabbing "epidemic" as – an epidemic and a disease that can be treated.
His scheme, CeaseFire, launched in 1995, has been highly successful. While it is focused primarily on gun violence, the biggest problem in areas such as Chicago and Boston, Slutkin says the type of weapon is immaterial and the CeaseFire principles can be applied to all violent disputes on city streets.
The approach has two stages:
1st - as if fighting a contagious disease, CeaseFire locates the people who are the most "infectious" in spreading violence and hopes thereby to prevent its transmission.
2nd - longer-term step is likened to treating Aids among intravenous drug users and sexually promiscuous groups in that it tries to change the behaviour of whole groups – mainly youth gangs – so that stabbings become unacceptable.
The operation centres around the use of "credible messengers" to stop the transmission of violence. Partly the approach involves using infamous former gang members with status and knowledge of street gangs to influence youngsters where outreach workers and police might not be able to.
>In addition, "interrupters", as the programme calls them, spend a lot of time rushing to hospitals following stabbings to catch family and friends of a victim and prevent retaliation.
A three-year, $1m (£500,000) study by the US justice department found that six out of the seven neighbourhoods in which CeaseFire operated saw a 17-24% reduction in gun violence. In the first year of CeaseFire's activities in Chicago, shootings dropped by 67%.
ZERO TOLERANCE IN NEW YORK
Crime in New York City spiked in the 1980s, hitting a peak by 1990. More than 2,000 murders were fuelled by the crack epidemic that hit the city. During the administrations of Mayors Rudolph Guiliani and Michael Bloomberg, shootings and stabbings have fallen markedly. Rates of both petty and serious crime fell significantly and murders are now under 500 a year.
Some say its the New York police adopting the CompStat system which involves:
>executives attending weekly meetings with local precinct commanders to discuss policing strategies and improving quality of life in locally.
"Broken windows" policing derives from the criminology and urban sociology theories of George Kelling and Catherine Coles, from their book published in 1996. The authors compared successful crime-fighting to repairing broken windows, saying there was a tendency for vandals to do further damage if crime was left untreated.
>Giuliani's wove this approach into his "zero tolerance" policy. Police strictly enforced relatively minor laws to preempt more serious crime. Subway fare evaders were arrested, drinking and urinating on the street prevented and squeegee merchants clamped down upon.
Critics say Giuliani's policies in fact had little effect and that crime mainly fell because of the increase in policenumbers. New York now has the lowest crime rate among the 10 largest cities in the US.
Teenagers with knives may have to visit victims in hospital
· Ministers unveil action plan as two die in attacks
· Teachers to be given drugs and alcohol search powers
The children's secretary, Ed Balls suggests: "It will ensure that everyone knows that a teacher's authority in the classroom is unquestionable and teachers are clear about their right to use them."
Jaqui Smith told Sky TV yesturday: "I'm very keen we make people face up to the consequences of their actions," following her announcements that she wants teenagers arrested for carrying knives should be forced to confront the consequences of fights by visiting hospital wards and prisons, "It's a practical and tough approach to make young people understand the implications of carrying a knife."
Smith's actions were condemned by Tory spokesman Dominic Grieve, who warned that voters were "sick and tired" of "ill-thought-through, piecemeal announcements and failed initiatives". "Not only would we have tough policing to tackle knife crime on our streets now, but under our plans people convicted of knife crime would automatically face the presumption of jail," he said.
The Lib Dem spokesman, Chris Huhne, called the hospital visit plan a "half-baked" response from a minister who was denying a problem existed barely a month ago.
· Teachers to be given drugs and alcohol search powers
The children's secretary, Ed Balls suggests: "It will ensure that everyone knows that a teacher's authority in the classroom is unquestionable and teachers are clear about their right to use them."
Jaqui Smith told Sky TV yesturday: "I'm very keen we make people face up to the consequences of their actions," following her announcements that she wants teenagers arrested for carrying knives should be forced to confront the consequences of fights by visiting hospital wards and prisons, "It's a practical and tough approach to make young people understand the implications of carrying a knife."
Smith's actions were condemned by Tory spokesman Dominic Grieve, who warned that voters were "sick and tired" of "ill-thought-through, piecemeal announcements and failed initiatives". "Not only would we have tough policing to tackle knife crime on our streets now, but under our plans people convicted of knife crime would automatically face the presumption of jail," he said.
The Lib Dem spokesman, Chris Huhne, called the hospital visit plan a "half-baked" response from a minister who was denying a problem existed barely a month ago.
Politicians can't afford to think long term
Earlier this year, the Home Office mantra when confronted with concerns about knife crime was that while every death was a tragedy, violent crime had "fallen steadily".
As the number of deaths have increased, to maintain this attitude would appear to be insensitive.
Over the past weekend alone, two men were stabbed and at least another six required hospital treatment.
In 24 hours last week, four people were stabbed to death in London, including a 19-year-old man who became the 20th teenager to die in a violent attack in London this year.
The number of teenagers murdered in the capital in the first six months of the year was 17 - exactly the same number as last year.
The latest survey revealed that there were 169,000 violent incidents involving knives in 2005-06, around half the 340,000 in 1995, although the number has been increasing since 2003–4. But under-16s are not included in the survey, and the government is reviewing that potentially significant anomaly.
Other figures suggest knife crime may be on the increase. Department of Health statistics show that almost 14,000 people were treated in hospital for stab wounds last year (446 of them aged 14 and under) - an increase of nearly 20% in five years.
Since Labour came to power in 1997, the number of people prosecuted for possessing knives has increased by 72%, to 7,699 in 2006.
David Wilson, a criminologist from Birmingham City University believes that there are two reasons for youths carrying knives. One is that it makes them "feel grown up and manly" but the other is that they are "scared".
Wilson says young people have reacted to a world in which adults demonise young people outside their own families – "they are all chavs and hoodies" – and no longer trust adults to protect them.
He also suggests that the solutions are to think longer term - how to deal with a generation who no longer trust adults?
Also adding "Politicians can never afford to think longer term," he said. "They want to be seen taking action, and taking action quickly."
As the number of deaths have increased, to maintain this attitude would appear to be insensitive.
Over the past weekend alone, two men were stabbed and at least another six required hospital treatment.
In 24 hours last week, four people were stabbed to death in London, including a 19-year-old man who became the 20th teenager to die in a violent attack in London this year.
The number of teenagers murdered in the capital in the first six months of the year was 17 - exactly the same number as last year.
The latest survey revealed that there were 169,000 violent incidents involving knives in 2005-06, around half the 340,000 in 1995, although the number has been increasing since 2003–4. But under-16s are not included in the survey, and the government is reviewing that potentially significant anomaly.
Other figures suggest knife crime may be on the increase. Department of Health statistics show that almost 14,000 people were treated in hospital for stab wounds last year (446 of them aged 14 and under) - an increase of nearly 20% in five years.
Since Labour came to power in 1997, the number of people prosecuted for possessing knives has increased by 72%, to 7,699 in 2006.
David Wilson, a criminologist from Birmingham City University believes that there are two reasons for youths carrying knives. One is that it makes them "feel grown up and manly" but the other is that they are "scared".
Wilson says young people have reacted to a world in which adults demonise young people outside their own families – "they are all chavs and hoodies" – and no longer trust adults to protect them.
He also suggests that the solutions are to think longer term - how to deal with a generation who no longer trust adults?
Also adding "Politicians can never afford to think longer term," he said. "They want to be seen taking action, and taking action quickly."
Knife gangs forced to meet families of stab victims
The government is set to impose hard community sentences on youths carrying knives, but critics say only prison can tackle the epidemic of violence.
Teenagers caught with knives will be forced to tour casualty units and meet the relatives of stabbing victims, under government plans to combat the glorification of weapons within gangs.
The move to confront those on the verge of more serious offending with the horrific consequences of knife culture comes as new figures show the number of convictions for carrying a knife in schools rose sixfold in a decade, with the vast majority of offenders not jailed.
Under plans to be unveiled by Gordon Brown on Tuesday, young offenders convicted of all crimes will be forced to carry out community service on Friday and Saturday nights, to keep them out of trouble, while pubs and clubs will be fast-tracked for closure if searches reveal their customers routinely carry knives. Parents will face tougher intervention, including being made to attend their children's court cases, and teenagers on the streets late at night will be taken home by police if they are considered in danger.
Chief constables already have powers to press for the closure of pubs involved in violence, although Smith is writing to all 42 forces in England and Wales asking them to exercise those powers. And while trading standards officers will carry out 'secret shopper' checks on whether retailers sell knives illegally to under-16s, only 71 people have been convicted of under-age knife sales in five years despite previous supposed crackdowns.
The Youth Crime Action Plan to be launched by Smith, Brown, Balls and the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, will still promote alternatives to custody, such as 'intensive fostering' schemes, where a teenager is placed with foster parents and must behave well in order to earn privileges such as watching television. They will reject calls for an automatic prison sentence for knife possession, with ministers arguing privately that some children carry knives in self-defence because they are frightened by their peers.
Teenagers caught with knives will be forced to tour casualty units and meet the relatives of stabbing victims, under government plans to combat the glorification of weapons within gangs.
The move to confront those on the verge of more serious offending with the horrific consequences of knife culture comes as new figures show the number of convictions for carrying a knife in schools rose sixfold in a decade, with the vast majority of offenders not jailed.
Under plans to be unveiled by Gordon Brown on Tuesday, young offenders convicted of all crimes will be forced to carry out community service on Friday and Saturday nights, to keep them out of trouble, while pubs and clubs will be fast-tracked for closure if searches reveal their customers routinely carry knives. Parents will face tougher intervention, including being made to attend their children's court cases, and teenagers on the streets late at night will be taken home by police if they are considered in danger.
Chief constables already have powers to press for the closure of pubs involved in violence, although Smith is writing to all 42 forces in England and Wales asking them to exercise those powers. And while trading standards officers will carry out 'secret shopper' checks on whether retailers sell knives illegally to under-16s, only 71 people have been convicted of under-age knife sales in five years despite previous supposed crackdowns.
The Youth Crime Action Plan to be launched by Smith, Brown, Balls and the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, will still promote alternatives to custody, such as 'intensive fostering' schemes, where a teenager is placed with foster parents and must behave well in order to earn privileges such as watching television. They will reject calls for an automatic prison sentence for knife possession, with ministers arguing privately that some children carry knives in self-defence because they are frightened by their peers.
Man dies after Bolton stabbing
Paul Gilligan who is in his 30's was found at the Pepper Alley pub in Bolton shortly before 1am with stab wounds and later died in hospital from his injuries.
He is the third victim of knife crime in the region in the past 48 hours.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Elsewhere today, a 22-year-old man was in a serious condition after he was found by police with multiple stab wounds at a campsite at the T in the Park music festival in Kinross-shire, central Scotland. Police were interviewing campers and said that they were looking for 2 men likely to have bloodstained clothing.
The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced today that young offenders caught with a knife are to be forced to meet stabbing victims in an attempt to underline the seriousness of carrying a weapon. This would include visits to A&E wards where people are being treated for knife wounds, meetings with the families of stabbing victims and prison visits to offenders jailed for knife offences.
Another victim named yesterday was Yusufu Miiro, a 20-year-old student from Stratford. He was fatally stabbed in the head and chest as he walked up a stairwell towards a friend's flat in St David's Court, Walthamstow, north-east London.
He is the third victim of knife crime in the region in the past 48 hours.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Elsewhere today, a 22-year-old man was in a serious condition after he was found by police with multiple stab wounds at a campsite at the T in the Park music festival in Kinross-shire, central Scotland. Police were interviewing campers and said that they were looking for 2 men likely to have bloodstained clothing.
The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced today that young offenders caught with a knife are to be forced to meet stabbing victims in an attempt to underline the seriousness of carrying a weapon. This would include visits to A&E wards where people are being treated for knife wounds, meetings with the families of stabbing victims and prison visits to offenders jailed for knife offences.
Another victim named yesterday was Yusufu Miiro, a 20-year-old student from Stratford. He was fatally stabbed in the head and chest as he walked up a stairwell towards a friend's flat in St David's Court, Walthamstow, north-east London.
Man fatally stabbed in Bristol
A man believed to be in his 40's was stabbed to death during a disturbance in a residential street in Bristol.
He suffered knife wounds to the head and chest at about 9pm last night in the Withywood area of the city - he died this morning.
two men have been arrested in connection with the incident.
He suffered knife wounds to the head and chest at about 9pm last night in the Withywood area of the city - he died this morning.
two men have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Woman remanded over supermarket stabbing
Sarah Anderson, 25 of Peckham, was today remanded in custody for the murder of Dee Willis, 28 who was stabbed outside of Lidl supermarket in Peckham on July 1st.
Willis was taken to Kings College Hospital with stab wounds to her upper body, and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
A 21yr old woman was also arrested in connection with the investigation and has been bailed to return for questioning in August.
Police today named an 18-year-old man who died after being stabbed during a fight in the north-east of the capital on Thursday as Melvin Bryan. He recieved fatal wounds to his neck and chest during a confrontation at a bedsit in Gloucester Road, Edmonton. Police were called after reports of a disturbance at the address close to Silver Street railway station at about 2.30pm.
Bryan's death took the number of teenagers to die violently in the capital since the beginning of the year to 20.
Police named the man who was stabbed in Tottenham, NE London. Gennar Jaronis, 41, was found with head injuries and slash wounds at the rear of a disused pub.
Willis was taken to Kings College Hospital with stab wounds to her upper body, and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
A 21yr old woman was also arrested in connection with the investigation and has been bailed to return for questioning in August.
Police today named an 18-year-old man who died after being stabbed during a fight in the north-east of the capital on Thursday as Melvin Bryan. He recieved fatal wounds to his neck and chest during a confrontation at a bedsit in Gloucester Road, Edmonton. Police were called after reports of a disturbance at the address close to Silver Street railway station at about 2.30pm.
Bryan's death took the number of teenagers to die violently in the capital since the beginning of the year to 20.
Police named the man who was stabbed in Tottenham, NE London. Gennar Jaronis, 41, was found with head injuries and slash wounds at the rear of a disused pub.
Second man charged over new cross murders
A second man, Daniel Sonnex, 23 of Peckham Park Road, SE London was today charged with the murders of the french students Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez.
Bonomo had been stabbed nearly 200 times while Ferez had suffered nearly 50 knife wounds.
Nigel Farmer, 33 of no fixed address appeared at Greenwich magistrates court on thursday., he was accused of both murders, arson and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Bonomo had been stabbed nearly 200 times while Ferez had suffered nearly 50 knife wounds.
Nigel Farmer, 33 of no fixed address appeared at Greenwich magistrates court on thursday., he was accused of both murders, arson and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Met chief calls for calm after four stab deaths in 24 hrs
The metropolitan police commisioner, Sir Ian Blair, todayurged Londoners to "pull together" after four fatal stabbings within 24 hrs accross the capital.
A 19yr old man became the 20th teenager to die in a violent attack in london this year. He was stabbed in a confrontation in a bedsit in Edmonton, north-east London, at about 2.30pm.
Three hours later, in nearby Leyton, a 20-year-old Asian man died from a stab wound to his chest after a confrontation with a gang following a car crash.
At around 8.30pm, a 22-year-old man was found with stab wounds to his head and chest in a street in Walthamstow, less than two miles away. He died an hour later.
At 4am yesterday, the body of a man in his 40s was found with knife wounds behind a disused pub on Tottenham High Road.
The fifth man, who is in a critical condition, is in his late 20s. He was found by police in Brenthurst Road, Willesden, north-west London, with stab wounds to the back and stomach.
Home secretary Jaqui Smith announces new plans to tackle knife crime: cross-government youth crime plan, new enforcement measures and improvements to sentencing. It will also include 'tougher parenting' programmes.
"I want to reassure the public that the MPS [Metropolitan police service] is doing everything possible, both in terms of thoroughly investigating each case and in continuing to carry out proactive operations, to get knives off the streets."
Boris johnson plans to meet Jaqui smith to bring plans for investment in violence prevention work with the capitals teenagers.
Johnson has also been pushing for mandatory jail scentences for anyone caught carrying a knife.
"We need to do all we can to address the long-term complex root causes of violence as well as ensuring the police are providing an effective deterrent to those who carry knives and guns," he said.
A 19yr old man became the 20th teenager to die in a violent attack in london this year. He was stabbed in a confrontation in a bedsit in Edmonton, north-east London, at about 2.30pm.
Three hours later, in nearby Leyton, a 20-year-old Asian man died from a stab wound to his chest after a confrontation with a gang following a car crash.
At around 8.30pm, a 22-year-old man was found with stab wounds to his head and chest in a street in Walthamstow, less than two miles away. He died an hour later.
At 4am yesterday, the body of a man in his 40s was found with knife wounds behind a disused pub on Tottenham High Road.
The fifth man, who is in a critical condition, is in his late 20s. He was found by police in Brenthurst Road, Willesden, north-west London, with stab wounds to the back and stomach.
Home secretary Jaqui Smith announces new plans to tackle knife crime: cross-government youth crime plan, new enforcement measures and improvements to sentencing. It will also include 'tougher parenting' programmes.
"I want to reassure the public that the MPS [Metropolitan police service] is doing everything possible, both in terms of thoroughly investigating each case and in continuing to carry out proactive operations, to get knives off the streets."
Boris johnson plans to meet Jaqui smith to bring plans for investment in violence prevention work with the capitals teenagers.
Johnson has also been pushing for mandatory jail scentences for anyone caught carrying a knife.
"We need to do all we can to address the long-term complex root causes of violence as well as ensuring the police are providing an effective deterrent to those who carry knives and guns," he said.
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