As many as 3,591 knife and offensive weapon crimes by ten to 17-year-olds were dealt with by the criminal justice system in the year ending September 2024.
Ten knife or offensive weapon crimes by children have been recorded every day, we can reveal.
In the wake of hit murder drama Adolescence, our probe shows these offences have soared by a quarter in only a decade. As many as 3,591 knife and offensive weapon crimes by ten to 17-year-olds were dealt with by the criminal justice system in the year ending September 2024.
Shockingly, it means on average there were 69 cautions or convictions in England and Wales a week — or 10 a day. Pooja Kanda, mum of murdered schoolboy Ronan who was stabbed by two teens, told the Mirror: “I would love to see a country where a child can walk safely back to his mother, like my son should have done. People tell us how scared they are for their children’s safety.” The campaigner added: “Don’t carry knives, ditch them now and become the better version of yourself.”
It comes as Netflix’s Adolescence has won rave reviews for its searing account of a boy of 13 arrested for the murder of a teenage girl who was stabbed. The show, co-created and starring Stephen Graham, became the first streaming platform programme to top the UK’s weekly charts. The four-part series tells a fictional story echoed in real-life figures. Eight out of ten teenage victims of homicide in the year to March 2024 were killed with a knife or sharp instrument, separate ONS stats show.
Mrs Kanda, whose 16-year-old son was killed in 2022 in a case of mistaken identity, praised the Netflix show. “It’s a powerful drama that has sparked loads of much-needed conversations. It is fictional to some and a reality for us parents. I haven’t seen all the episodes yet, but I will watch them once I’m ready,” she said “I would like to meet Stephen Graham, as his hard work is greatly appreciated… I also urge parents to watch this with their children, it will make a difference.”
Bridget Phillipson calls for more male teachers to help boys reject ‘toxic online influences’
The Ministry of Justice said of the figures covering the 12 months ending September 2024: “The latest year saw 3,591 10 to 17-year-olds knife and… [offensive] weapon offences dealt with by the CJS, an increase of 27% compared to ten years ago.” It is a 0.4% rise from 3,577 in the year before. An offensive weapon is defined as “anything made or adapted to cause injury, or intended to be used as a weapon” such as a baseball bat, hammer or acid, according to the Sentencing Council. Of the 3591 cautions or convictions for knife or offensive weapon crimes by children (10-17) in England and Wales in the year ending September 2024, 3,434 (95.6%) were for possession.
Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust, which combats knife crime, said: “We must recognise that these young people are often acting out of fear and desperation, and that addressing the root causes of victimisation is essential to preventing future offences. Without targeted interventions that address trauma, provide safe spaces, and offer alternative pathways, then this cycle of violence is likely to continue.”
He also complemented Adolescence, saying it “powerfully illustrated the pervasive influence of social media on young minds and its potential contribution to knife crime”. The charity boss added: “What is particularly concerning is that many parents, who themselves did not grow up with this level of invasive media, are often unaware of the extent of its influence on their children.
“The drama serves as a stark reminder that tackling youth violence is a collective responsibility. It’s not just about law enforcement or schools; it’s about families, communities, and the tech industry. Young people need robust mentoring and guidance to navigate the overwhelming volume of information they encounter online.”
The Mirror’s investigation comes as a new interactive map allows you to explore how bad knife crime is in your area. This data, compiled below, details the total number of serious offences involving a knife, including murder and rape, recorded over a 12 month period ending in September 2024.
Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention Dame Diana Johnson said: “Knife crime has a devastating impact on families and communities across our country. Our mission to halve it is a moral imperative that we must deliver through tougher enforcement and better prevention measures.
“We will pursue every avenue to protect young people. This [is] why we are bringing in Ronan’s Law to stop knives from being sold illegally online, why we have banned zombie style knives and machetes and why we are delivering 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers to make our communities safer. But young people must also be provided with positive opportunities and have their needs supported. We are developing a Young Futures programme which will intervene earlier, identifying and supporting vulnerable children to divert them from crime.”
