An 18-year-old man has been stabbed to death near a bus station in Walthamstow, east London.
A routine police patrol found the teenager lying wounded near Selborne Road at 0140 BST. He was pronounced dead in hospital.
A man in his 20s and a 17-year-old youth have been arrested in connection with the incident and are in custody.
The killing led to the cancellation of Walthamstow's celebration of the handover of the Olympics to London.
Clyde Loakes, leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: "I was devastated to learn this morning (Sunday) that instead of celebrating London officially becoming the next Olympic host, in Walthamstow we would be mourning the loss of another young life.
"I intend to call an urgent meeting of the leaders and mayors of the five host boroughs.
"As host boroughs, we must use the power of the Games coming to East London to inspire change in our communities and change for our young people," he added.
Friday, 12 September 2008
Monday, 8 September 2008
Knife-bearers face Taser arrest
Anyone carrying a knife on the street in Devon and Cornwall risks being shot with a Taser electric stun gun, police have warned.
The gun works by firing darts that release a 50,000-volt electric shock which causes temporary paralysis.
Police said they would deal with such situations involving knives "robustly".
The Taser is classed as a "less lethal" alternative to firearms, although the weapons have been criticised by human rights groups.
Although knife crime in Devon and Cornwall has fallen by 10% in recent years, police said they would still employ the stuns guns if necessary.
Supt John Green of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "We'd like to make it clear that if you carry knives in the Devon and Cornwall area that we'll take it very seriously and deal with it very robustly.
"You stand a chance of being incapacitated and taken to the ground by use of a Taser."
The human rights group Amnesty has linked Tasers to about 70 deaths in the US, and mental health groups also fear they are being used too often.
The gun works by firing darts that release a 50,000-volt electric shock which causes temporary paralysis.
Police said they would deal with such situations involving knives "robustly".
The Taser is classed as a "less lethal" alternative to firearms, although the weapons have been criticised by human rights groups.
Although knife crime in Devon and Cornwall has fallen by 10% in recent years, police said they would still employ the stuns guns if necessary.
Supt John Green of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "We'd like to make it clear that if you carry knives in the Devon and Cornwall area that we'll take it very seriously and deal with it very robustly.
"You stand a chance of being incapacitated and taken to the ground by use of a Taser."
The human rights group Amnesty has linked Tasers to about 70 deaths in the US, and mental health groups also fear they are being used too often.
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Knifeman jailed for police threat
A 23-year-old man has been jailed for 18 months after admitting threatening police officers with two knives outside his home in Northamptonshire.
Judge Richard Bray at Northampton Crown Court said the "days of lenient sentences" for knife crimes were over.
Thomas Boyce, of Eaton Close, Weedon, had pleaded guilty to common assault against his ex-girlfriend and affray.
The court heard Boyce had assaulted his ex-girlfriend, the mother of his child, when she bumped into him on a night out in Northampton town centre in the early hours of 18 May.
DRINK AND DRUG PROBLEMS
Alexandra Bull, prosecuting, said she had approached him, asking him why she had not been able to get in touch with him because he owed her money.
"When he walked away, she shouted at him, at which point he turned around and punched her in the stomach before running away.
"Later that day on Eaton Close, Boyce had threatened to stab a police officer who tried to search him. He was seen brandishing two knives."
Boyce was finally restrained by officers and a police dog.
Steven Evans, defending, said Boyce had a long history of drink and drugs which led to problems.
He said he was reconciled with his ex-girlfriend, who had been visiting him while he was on remand.
"He has decent parents, a decent job, and has always worked.
"He now has responsibilities for a young son so the prospects for him avoiding further trouble are there."
Judge Richard Bray at Northampton Crown Court said the "days of lenient sentences" for knife crimes were over.
Thomas Boyce, of Eaton Close, Weedon, had pleaded guilty to common assault against his ex-girlfriend and affray.
The court heard Boyce had assaulted his ex-girlfriend, the mother of his child, when she bumped into him on a night out in Northampton town centre in the early hours of 18 May.
DRINK AND DRUG PROBLEMS
Alexandra Bull, prosecuting, said she had approached him, asking him why she had not been able to get in touch with him because he owed her money.
"When he walked away, she shouted at him, at which point he turned around and punched her in the stomach before running away.
"Later that day on Eaton Close, Boyce had threatened to stab a police officer who tried to search him. He was seen brandishing two knives."
Boyce was finally restrained by officers and a police dog.
Steven Evans, defending, said Boyce had a long history of drink and drugs which led to problems.
He said he was reconciled with his ex-girlfriend, who had been visiting him while he was on remand.
"He has decent parents, a decent job, and has always worked.
"He now has responsibilities for a young son so the prospects for him avoiding further trouble are there."
Footballers make knife-crime plea
Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and David James spoke to launch an anti-knife campaign called It Doesn't Have to Happen.
Beckham said: "We can help people, we can help youngsters, because we've got a voice that kids listen to."
The government says more than 2,500 arrests have been made and 1,600 knives have been seized since June under its action plan to tackle knife crime.
David Beckham told the news conference at the team hotel he had experience of knife crime.
His best friend's brother had been due to sign a contract with Leyton Orient when he was stabbed aged 13.
Beckham said: "One day he was walking the streets, saw a fight, went over to help, got stabbed in the back and was paralysed.
"No one wants to see the devastation I saw my friend and his family go through. We have to lend our support to this campaign."
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand attended the same school as murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.
"I will never forget when the headmaster brought the school to a halt and said he had been killed. There was a sombre and chilling atmosphere.
"One day the guy was enjoying life and talking about his A-levels and the next day he was gone. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
He said getting tough on knife crime would help, but there also needed to be schemes to keep young people busy.
"Communities and youth centres also need to play a bigger part. Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure and then something happens that everyone regrets," he added.
Beckham said: "We can help people, we can help youngsters, because we've got a voice that kids listen to."
The government says more than 2,500 arrests have been made and 1,600 knives have been seized since June under its action plan to tackle knife crime.
David Beckham told the news conference at the team hotel he had experience of knife crime.
His best friend's brother had been due to sign a contract with Leyton Orient when he was stabbed aged 13.
Beckham said: "One day he was walking the streets, saw a fight, went over to help, got stabbed in the back and was paralysed.
"No one wants to see the devastation I saw my friend and his family go through. We have to lend our support to this campaign."
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand attended the same school as murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.
"I will never forget when the headmaster brought the school to a halt and said he had been killed. There was a sombre and chilling atmosphere.
"One day the guy was enjoying life and talking about his A-levels and the next day he was gone. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
He said getting tough on knife crime would help, but there also needed to be schemes to keep young people busy.
"Communities and youth centres also need to play a bigger part. Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure and then something happens that everyone regrets," he added.
Teenagers injured in knife attack
Two teenagers were seriously injured in a knife attack in a car park in Watford - just hours before a high-profile anti-knife-crime drive in the town.
The 19-year-olds were walking from the Flag pub in Station Road in the early hours when they had an altercation with four men and a woman in a silver car.
The car stopped and they were chased into the pub car park and stabbed.
The attackers were described as four white men and one white woman, all in their late teens to early 20s.
One of the men was described as being of slim to medium build, 5ft 10in (178cm) to 6ft (183cm), clean-shaven, with dark, spiky hair. He wore blue jeans and a green t-shirt with a white motif on the front.
Another of the attackers has a skinhead haircut, and is thought to have been wearing a polo-type top with a striped pattern.
The woman was in her late teens to early 20s with shoulder-length blonde hair.
Both victims, who are from the Watford area, were taken to hospital for treatment. One has been released while the other remains in a stable condition.
The 19-year-olds were walking from the Flag pub in Station Road in the early hours when they had an altercation with four men and a woman in a silver car.
The car stopped and they were chased into the pub car park and stabbed.
The attackers were described as four white men and one white woman, all in their late teens to early 20s.
One of the men was described as being of slim to medium build, 5ft 10in (178cm) to 6ft (183cm), clean-shaven, with dark, spiky hair. He wore blue jeans and a green t-shirt with a white motif on the front.
Another of the attackers has a skinhead haircut, and is thought to have been wearing a polo-type top with a striped pattern.
The woman was in her late teens to early 20s with shoulder-length blonde hair.
Both victims, who are from the Watford area, were taken to hospital for treatment. One has been released while the other remains in a stable condition.
Family in tribute to stab victim
The family of a 17-year-old youth stabbed to death in a street fight in south London have paid tribute to the "energetic and helpful" teenager.
Nilanthan Murddi's sister Santhiya said her parents were "destroyed" by their only son's death.
A 31-year-old man arrested in connection with Nilanthan's murder has since been released on bail.
Nilanthan was among six to eight people involved in the fight in Croydon early on Saturday.
The teenager died three hours later in hospital. A post-mortem examination found he died from a single knife wound to the neck.
The Murddi family are from Sri Lanka but have lived in Britain for more than 20 years.
Police want to contact a mini-cab driver, believed to have been in a blue Ford Mondeo, who stopped at traffic lights near the scene of the fight at about 0100 BST on Saturday.
Police believe his passenger, a white man, argued with him and "exchanged words" with Nilanthan and his friends who were standing nearby.
A Met Police spokeswoman said: "The suspect returned a little while later and was again involved in an exchange of words with Nilanthan and his friends, which resulted in the victim being injured."
Nilanthan was the 23rd teenager to be killed in a stabbing or a shooting in the capital this year.
Nilanthan Murddi's sister Santhiya said her parents were "destroyed" by their only son's death.
A 31-year-old man arrested in connection with Nilanthan's murder has since been released on bail.
Nilanthan was among six to eight people involved in the fight in Croydon early on Saturday.
The teenager died three hours later in hospital. A post-mortem examination found he died from a single knife wound to the neck.
The Murddi family are from Sri Lanka but have lived in Britain for more than 20 years.
Police want to contact a mini-cab driver, believed to have been in a blue Ford Mondeo, who stopped at traffic lights near the scene of the fight at about 0100 BST on Saturday.
Police believe his passenger, a white man, argued with him and "exchanged words" with Nilanthan and his friends who were standing nearby.
A Met Police spokeswoman said: "The suspect returned a little while later and was again involved in an exchange of words with Nilanthan and his friends, which resulted in the victim being injured."
Nilanthan was the 23rd teenager to be killed in a stabbing or a shooting in the capital this year.
Murder probe after boy's stabbing
A teenage boy has been stabbed to death after attending a party in Manchester.
Connor Black, a 16-year-old joinery student, suffered a one inch stab wound to his upper left shoulder in Moston Lane, Harpurhey, in the early hours
Kirsty Scullion, 18, who works as a beauty therapist, said: "He was a loveable lad who was never really in trouble.
"He was respectful but there had been trouble at this party.
Detectives are carrying out tests on two knives found in the area
"Someone told me that Connor was thought to have said something to someone, which he denied.
"It all then got out of hand and there was a commotion and he ended up getting stabbed.
"He wasn't the sort of lad who would look for trouble but he would back himself up."
Kirsty's brother, Jordan, 15, said: "He was a really good lad, I can't believe this has happened.
"He had everything to live for and was a normal young lad, into football. All his friends are stunned."
Police have appealed for anyone with information about the attack to get in touch.
They are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who saw a hooded figure seen running from the scene.
Connor Black, a 16-year-old joinery student, suffered a one inch stab wound to his upper left shoulder in Moston Lane, Harpurhey, in the early hours
Kirsty Scullion, 18, who works as a beauty therapist, said: "He was a loveable lad who was never really in trouble.
"He was respectful but there had been trouble at this party.
Detectives are carrying out tests on two knives found in the area
"Someone told me that Connor was thought to have said something to someone, which he denied.
"It all then got out of hand and there was a commotion and he ended up getting stabbed.
"He wasn't the sort of lad who would look for trouble but he would back himself up."
Kirsty's brother, Jordan, 15, said: "He was a really good lad, I can't believe this has happened.
"He had everything to live for and was a normal young lad, into football. All his friends are stunned."
Police have appealed for anyone with information about the attack to get in touch.
They are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who saw a hooded figure seen running from the scene.
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