'It's evil out there': Knife crime down in Lincolnshire – but is it enough?
A stabbing survivor – who still bares the scars of an attack that has resulted in him enduring 14 operations – has welcomed statistics claiming knife crime in Lincolnshire is falling.
Former door supervisor Carl Moore says he still relives the nightmare when a blade was plunged four inches into his back and has since campaigned to raise awareness of the consequences of gang culture to which the crime is often attributed.
At the height of a pandemic of stabbings in the UK in 2018, he launched a campaign for the ban of the sale of knives at a coastal market where he has a caravan.
However in spite of the latest statistics showing a decrease in incidents, the stabbings have continued. Latest crime data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows nearly 50,000 serious knife crimes were recorded in England from July 2023 to June 2024, showing a decrease nationally of 8.23% over the past five years.
The City of London and the Metropolitan Police Force area have seen the greatest increase in knife crime rates, growing by 307% and 42%, respectively.
In other parts of England statistics show incidents have decreased by 8.23% over the past five years, dropping from 53,000 incidents in 2019/2020 to just under 49,000 in 2023/2024.
Lincolnshire police force area has seen of of the biggest changes with a -19.50% decrease – according to research conducted by the security experts at Get Licensed who analyised the ONS data.
“I’d like to believe this is true, but while there is still knife crime and knives are still sold in markets near pubs, even though the age to buy them has been increased, I can’t see how there can be an improvement,” commented Carl, who lives in Derbyshire.
"I’m not knocking the police – they are up against it and I feel for them – but I feel the situation is getting worse.
"I still campaign against knife crime and try to educate people when I am well enought but it’s evil out there.”
Last year, Lincolnshire World reported nearly three-quarters of cautions or convictions for knife crime in Lincolnshire were handed to first-time offenders.
Anti-knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust described the high proportion of first time offenders is a "red flag", showing more investment into preventative measures is needed.
Ministry of Justice figures showed 132 first-time knife crime offenders in Lincolnshire went through the criminal justice system in the year ending September 2023.
In the latest ONS analysis, the following categories of knife crime were analysed:
Attempted murder offences involving a knife
Threats to kill offences involving a knife
Assault with injury and assault with intent to cause serious harm offences involving a knife
Robbery offences involving a knife
Rape and sexual assault offences involving a knife
Homicide offences involving a knife
Amongst the areas that had seen a fall in knife crime, Lincolnshire was ranked 5th, behind Cambridgeshire which had seen -29.66%,
North Wales -28.02%, Kent -22.04% and Warwickshire -21.79%.
According to Get Licensed, a comprehensive approach is essential to combat knife crime. It said by combining law enforcement, community initiatives, and the expertise of trained security officers, ‘we can create safer environments and reduce the impact of violent crime across England’.
Shahzad Ali, CEO and security expert at Get Licensed, believes that in spite of the reduction in incidents knife crime has remained an epidemic in the UK.
“Security professionals and training play critical roles in this, helping to deter crime through patrolling and presence,” he said. “From door supervisors to CCTV operators, these professionals all contribute to making the UK a safer place. Not only should this industry be encouraged to grow in size but also perception. If more people are aware of the steps in place to aid public safety, we can assume they will be more inclined to think twice before acting on impulse.
“However, there is more to security than catching the offender, it’s about creating a safe space for the public and helping victims if things escalate and the offenders aren’t deterred.”
Over the covered in the data, Lincolnshire World has reported on a catagolgue of knife crime in the area, including arrests, police initiatives, and a pilot program.
In 2019, Lincolnshire World was asking if Boston had a serious violent crime problem after two murder investigations were launche in one year.
The death of Przemyslaw Cierniak allegedly murdered broad daylight in Boston's Wormgate was the latest in a string of high-profile violent crimes in the area.
In April 2023, Gareth Hart was stabbed to death near a takeaway in Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire.
In November 2023, Lincolnshire Police released footage of a man carrying a large knife on camera outside a property in Louth.
A man is alleged to have tried a back door at the premises, while holding a knife.
In July 2023, a 14-year-old boy who stabbed a man in Ingoldmells after claiming he grabbed his crotch was given a two-year rehabilitation order.
One of the most recent incidents was on Christmas eve 2024 when a 37-year-old man has been charged following a stabbing in Skegness.
Lincolnshire Police held a number of knife amnesties in a bid to drive down knife crime but hope finally came with a change in the law over the ownership of ‘zombie-style’ knives and machetes.
The Home Office launched a surrender and compensation scheme. After September 2024 it became an offence to possess ‘zombie-style’ knives or machetes, which are added to the list of dangerous prohibited items already banned which includes butterfly knives, Samurai swords, and push daggers.
In 2021 Lincolnshire Police lLincolnshire Police joined Operation Sceptre - a national campaign taking place twice a year, supporting the work carried out locally year-round to ensure residents are safe from offensive weapons and weapon-enabled crime in their community Knife amnesty bins were put in police stations across Lincolnshire in a week-long campaign to free the county of violent crime.
This carried on into August 2024 to allow people to surrender their "zombie-style" knives and machetes before the new law came into effect.
In 2023 a number of schools in Lincolnshire have been working with education coordinators from Lincolnshire Police force in a pilot initiative to provide a new educational space called The Happening based at Sleaford Police Station to address the growing concern of knife crime.
The Happening is an immersive, educational experience that aims to prevent and divert young people away from carrying a knife and being involved in serious violence.
It challenges thinking, capture the reality, and look to dispel the myths and remove the glamour that is spoken about openly within young people’s lives and social media streams.
The project was built within the station’s old custody suite. Each room is unique and utilises ‘real world’ props, videos, graffiti, posters, written content and more to help educate and inform young people.
The Happening has been supported by funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner, a local charity and from the county’s Serious Violence Core Priority Group.
Lincolnshire Police secured funding from the Home Office homicide prevention fund in January 2023 which has funded the staff to deliver the programme,
It has allowed them to work closely with the University of Lincoln which provided input from young people, helping to design the programme.
Key individuals from LIVES, Crimestoppers, Lincoln College, Image Skool, Visual Print and Design and Allen Signs have helped bring the facility to life with a unique and colourful look.
All the education products are built around the National Curriculum and PSHE curriculum.
Sergeant Mel Standbrook, who is running the project, believes this going a long way to making a difference to young people’s lives to prevent knife enabled crime.”
- For the full statistics visit https://www.get-licensed.co.uk/reports/knife-crime-england-2024