Responding to the newly released statistics, Sadiq Khan said he is “doing everything within [his] power” to tackle crime in the capital
At least 40 knife crime took place in London everyday on average during the last 12 month period, official government figures released on Thursday have shown.
The Office for National Statistics confirmed that 14,847 knife offences were recorded in the capital between the end of September 2017 to the end of September last year. The figures include 83 knife killings and 161 sexual assaults carried out by somebody with a knife.
The 83 knife killings have remained nearly level with the 82 recorded a year earlier, but it represents a decrease on the 110 recorded between the end of March 2017 and 2018.
In the country as a whole, the stats show that homicides have increased by 14 per cent in a year while offences involving a knife are up by 8 per cent.
Responding to the figures, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan claimed he was “doing everything within [his] power to tackle crime and the causes of crime” in the capital.
He added: “The causes of violent crime are extremely complex and involve deep-seated problems like poverty, inequality, social alienation and a lack of opportunities for young people. This been made much worse by huge Government cuts to the police and preventative services.”
While Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Met Police, said: “The latest crime statistics show the challenges London has been facing so the extra money the Met will get from the increase in council tax precept is crucial. It will be spent on what matters most to Londoners, enabling us to continue our top priority of bearing down on violence.”
The figures are released on the same day as London mayor Sadiq Khan has set out plans to spend £85 million of new City Hall funding to tackle violent crime and burglary in the capital.
