2 March
Lee Phipps, 31 was stabbed on his way to take pictures of landscape close to his home in South Tyneside. The amateur photographer had made complaints to Northumbria Police about suffering racial harassment. His mother is of Somali descent. A 20-year-old man has been charged with his murder.
|
Increased danger of injury A threatening situation involving a knife can escalate quickly and become violent. Knives increase the likelihood of someone being killed, be it the intended victim or the attacker. Carrying a knife for self defence is equally misguided and significantly increases the risk of violence against the carrier. Recorded Crime Statistics show that over 65% of people who carry knives have their weapons turned against them. Doctors say there is a misconception among many people who seem to think a fatal injuries will only result from stab wounds to the upper body but not the limbs. |
According to statistics on recorded crime from the Metropolitan Police the possibility of a serious injury is four and a half times greater when a knife is used in fights or assisting in a crime. The risk of serious injury is double that of gun-enabled crimes.
The statistics also show that in the last ten years knives were the most common weapon used in violent deaths and were used in about a third of all unlawful killings in 2004-2005.
In the three months to September 2005, those legally proceeded against for a gun or knife enabled crime tended to be male (90 per cent), predominantly aged between 18 and 25 (53 per cent) and were mostly either black (47 per cent) or white (38 per cent).
Youths aged between 10 and 17 accounted for over a quarter of those accused (28 per cent).
These statistics and incidents where teenagers commit knfe crimes in schools have resulted in some schools using, or considering the use of, metal detectors to detect pupils carrying knives to school, or deterring them from doing so.