MLAs' Alarm As Rate Of NI Knife Crime Still Stubbornly Static

Two Policing Board members have expressed concerns over the rate of knife crime in Northern Ireland.

t follows a shocking incident on Monday afternoon when a man was stabbed in broad daylight at Castle Street in Belfast city centre.

The latest PSNI crime statistics show a total of 741 offences involving a knife or a sharp instrument in the 12 months leading up to June this year, an equivalent of two incidents a day.

This figure has remained largely static since 2015/16, with over 700 offences recorded each year.

In the 12 months leading up to June 2020, the use of a knife or a sharp instrument was involved in 10 homicides, 32 attempts to kill and 55 threats to kill.

The vast majority of incidents - 513 - resulted in actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. Knives and sharp instruments were also used in 125 robberies and six cases of rape/sexual assault.

In each category the overall figures have not changed significantly since 2015/16.

SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly and DUP MLA Mervyn Storey said the persistence of knife crime in recent years must be addressed.

Mrs Kelly said: "It's always worrying to hear about violent crimes with a knife, and it often seems to be with the younger population.

"We should, and we need to, have a look at it.

"In recent months Covid-19 has changed the focus of people's minds.

"But these knife crime stats need to be interrogated further by the Policing Board in terms of police performance.

"Obviously if figures aren't going down and remain static, it's safe to conclude there's more we can and should be doing.

"Secondly, it may be a bigger trend in some districts, so it would be useful to have a police analysis in terms of the hotspots of the knife crime and then to work with our partners in local policing to run specific campaigns".

Mr Storey said the statistics had become "a sad reflection on our society".

"I don't know how that compares per head of population to other jurisdictions, but it's still a significant number of incidents involving a very dangerous weapon and obviously people's lives are put at risk," he said.

"The second part of that is making sure the police do have the right resources in terms of legislation and preventative measures to take these weapons off the street, and that is something we have a duty to ensure we're looking at on a regular basis.

"It seems as though the police always have to stay ahead of these figures, because if they don't we just get to a place where it becomes the norm, and that's not what we want to see.

"We are beginning to see some parts of the system here - between the police, Ambulance Service, Departments of Health and Justice - becoming more focused on certain problems like knife crime.

"But, as always, it's breaking down those barriers between all of those organisations.

"Sometimes we hear about these incidents and they become part of a narrative, but it only (becomes real) when you realise the life-changing effect these attacks can have."

On Monday Scott McHugh was hospitalised after being stabbed in Castle Street.

Two men were arrested over the incident.

Originally from the Markets, McHugh survived being shot four times in west Belfast in 2016.

He was previously arrested and questioned in relation to the 2015 murder of IRA man Gerard 'Jock' Davison, but was released without charge.