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.