Stabbings on rise but gun deaths are down

THE number of fatal stabbings in London rose last year as gangs switched from guns to knives.

New figures show there were 83 knife killings last year compared with 74 in 2007. But the number of deadly attacks with firearms fell - from 30 to 17.

Scotland Yard's statistics also show that, overall, there were seven fewer homicides in London last year than in 2007. However, the increase in the use of knives reflects concerns over gang-related youth crime.

Last year a record 30 teenagers were killed. The total includes two who died after fleeing from gangs.

Rosimeiri Boxall, 19, fell from a top-floor window of a hostel in Blackheath while apparently trying to escape from a girl gang, and her death is being treated as suspicious.

Ahmed Benyermak, 16, plunged from a tower block in Hackney while trying to flee a gang. The death is reported as unlawful killing.

The breakdown shows that among teenagers, there were five fewer gun killings last year than in 2007, but five more with a blade.

Two of the knife killings last year were those of Ben Kinsella, 16, attacked in Islington, and David Idowu, 14, who was stabbed in Southwark.

Significantly, there was a major fall in the number of firearms homicides in London's black community - down from 21 in 2007 to 13 last year. But fatal stabbings increased by 12.

Police say the fall in gun deaths is a tribute to the success of Operation Trident, which tackles gun crime in the black community.

One experienced detective said: "We have done a lot of work around guns and there is evidence to say that they are not so easily available as they were. We are seeing the same guns being used again and again, which in the past would never have happened and shows there are fewer in circulation.

"But if someone in a gang wants to harm someone and they cannot do it with a gun then they will do it with a knife." Last year Paul Stephenson, then Met deputy commissioner, announced knife crime had taken over from terrorism as Scotland Yard's number one priority.

The force launched Operation Blunt 2, a high-profile initiative, which included deploying airport-style metal detecting arches and increasing the use of stop and search in the streets.

Since then knife crime has fallen, and there has not been a teenage killing since 8 November last year. Commander Simon Foy, Scotland Yard's head of homicide, said: "We are pleased that the number of gun-related murders has fallen but equally we are still extremely concerned about the increase in knife-related homicide, particularly among young people.

"We are putting a huge effort into trying to tackle this and I think we are beginning to see some effects of the work we have been carrying out with young people and communities. What we hope is that the success we have seen in guns will be replicated in knives."

The total number of homicides in London has fallen for the fifth year in a row, since it reached 222 in 2003.