Murders at a record high

Murders in London have reached a record level in the past year.

Scotland Yard recorded 211 between 1 April 2003 and 31 March, compared with 195 in the previous 12 months - a rise of 7.5 per cent.

Nearly half of the 211 cases were stabbings, and a quarter involved domestic violence.

The figures emerged as the Met revealed Lambeth to be the murder capital of London, with 149 killings in the past 10 years. Among the worst areas are Southwark with 118 in the same period; Hackney with 114; Newham with 104 and Brent with 96.

The safest London borough is Richmond with 15 murders during the same period - an average of just over one a year. The Met's homicide division is to analyse the "hotspots" to pinpoint any similarities between nationalities of victims and attackers, the types of weapons used and locations where the murders took place. The results will be used to try to reduce murder rates in the worst boroughs.

Commander Andy Baker, in charge of all Met murder investigations, said this year's London-wide increase is due to the growing knife culture and violence within new ethnic communities, including eastern Europeans and southern Asians - for example Sri Lankan Tamils. Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur has called for a new stop-and-search policy to help deal with the problem.

The number of gun deaths in the black community is falling due to the success of Operation Trident, set up to tackle black-on-black crime.

The clear-up rate for London murders has also hit an all-time record this year, with 97.5 per cent solved. The total 205 successful detections include killings from previous years.

Of the 211 murders recorded over the past 12 months the Met has solved 78 per cent, which is itself an all-time high. Mr Baker added: "This is down to the dedication of our staff working within a clear, flexible system of teamwork, and the help of local communities."