Shocking: Scale of West Midlands child knife crime revealed

Those under 18 who were recorded by West Midlands Police as having committed offences relating to knife crime or possession amounted to 379 last year, up from 131 in 2017.

The figures also show overall knife crime offences recorded in the region increased from 1,473 in 2017 to 2,775 in 2021.

Meanwhile, separate figures show there were 836 victims of knife crime under the age of 16 in the year to May, compared to 598 in the 12 months to May 2020.

And suspects as young as 11-years-old have been charged with knife offences in the past three years.

Meanwhile, overall arrests for knife crime in the West Midlands have risen year on year between May 2020 and May this year, according to the figures which were released by the region's police force under a freedom of information request.

It comes as there have also been multiple gang fights across Wolverhampton in recent months leaving scores of youngsters injured or in custody.

In May 15-year-old Zane Smart was stabbed to death in Pendeford, while the following month 16-year-old Ronan Kanda was fatally knifed in Lanesfield.

West Midlands Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner Tom McNeil said it was "a stark and worrying rise", but it went to show the huge amount of work being undertaken by West Midlands Police to take knives off the streets.

He said the increase had been exacerbated by government cuts to policing, early intervention, work in schools and youth services.

It emerged last week that every space on a 20-person bleed control kit training day has been filled within a week by residents who want to make a difference.

‘Zero responders’ are the members of the public who first come across an emergency and call the first responders.

The response in Wolverhampton has dwarfed similar appeals in Birmingham and elsewhere in the UK, leading organisers Yes 2 Life to shower praise on the city’s community spirit.

And now it has been announced that an extra £1 million will be spent in Wolverhampton to help tackle youth violence.

‘Cuts have contributed to big increase in child knife crime’

A stark rise in knife crime in the West Midlands has been contributed to by government cuts, a police and crime commissioner has said.

It comes as new figures show the number of children involved in knife crime across the West Midlands has almost tripled in the last five years, as the number of overall knife offences recorded over the same time-frame also increased.

There have also been multiple gang fights across Wolverhampton in recent months leaving scores of youngsters injured or in custody.

And a number of teenagers have died in recent months following stabbings in the street.

West Midlands Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner, Tom McNeil, said knife crime had doubled since 2012, and claims it has been exacerbated by government cuts to policing and other services.

He said: “On the face of it this is a stark and worrying rise, but goes to show the huge amount of work being undertaken by West Midlands Police to take knives off our streets.

“These figures demonstrate successful police activity in targeting knife crime and ensuring streets in the region are as safe as possible.

“However, there has been a rise in knife crime, with numbers doubling since 2012 and this has been exacerbated by government cuts to policing, early intervention, work in schools and youth services.

“Some of the organised crime elements behind young people being pulled into violent offending, have also been made worse by government cuts to addiction services, meaning the demand for drugs continues.”

In May 15-year-old Zane Smart was stabbed to death in Pendeford, while the following month 16-year-old Ronan Kanda was fatally knifed in Lanesfield.

Zane’s family launched a foundation in his memory aimed to fund emergency bleed control kits to help tackle knife injuries.

The appeal has since raised more than £5,400 and is still open for donations at gofundme.com/f/the-zane-smart-foundation

The donations will be used to purchase special wound care kits which will be installed near community meeting venues in a bid to save lives and tackle knife crime.

Chief Superintendent Richard Fisher, chairman of the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership, has also warned that the teenagers killed in knife attacks in Lanesfield and Pendeford earlier this year were a “stark reminder” of the dangers when young people carry weapons.

But he moved to reassure people apprehensive over using the city’s bus station that “significant incidents” had fallen in the last few months – and there should not be any “no-go” areas in the city.

Last month, residents also claimed that children “running around with knives” had sparked a 50-person brawl in Ruskin Road, Wolverhampton.