Time to get tough on knife crime say victims families

Jun 14 2009 Sunday Sun

SERIOUS stabbings are taking place in the region at a rate of about one a day, the Sunday Sun can reveal.

Figures obtained from NHS hospital admissions show that there were 400 victims treated for sharp object wounds in the region.

The latest statistics for 2007/08 also reveal that 14 of the victims were aged under 18-years of age.

The Sunday Sun successfully fought to get both the lower and higher sentences changed and toughened but according to campaigners the judiciary are just not using the powers that they have been given.

Barbara Dunne, of Mothers Against Knives, said: “I’m not surprised by this but the true figure could be far higher as there are people who have been wounded that never go to hospital.

“But it’s still shocking that the figure is still so high as one is one too many. We are back to square one despite all the promises by the politicians to get a handle on this issue.

“The judiciary should be abolished and the whole system started again because at present they are more concerned about those who commit the crimes than they are about victims.

“This will never change as long as the judiciary keep letting knife offenders out of prison early, that’s if they are sent to prison in the first place.

“I don’t blame the politicians. They must be banging their heads against a brick wall as they have given the judges the tools to act as a deterrent but they just keep letting them off with non-custodial sentences.”

The news comes after three men were convicted of the murder of Ben Kinsella, the brother of former EastEnders’ actress Brooke Kinsella, 25.

Ben was stabbed 11 times after his friends got into a confrontation outside a pub.