17 face knife charges after crackdown

5:30am Saturday 6th September 2008

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Police are now charging almost every person arrested for carrying a knife.

Last month, the Oxford Mail revealed that during April and May half of those caught with knives had escaped without a criminal conviction.

But in June and July, 17 of the 20 people arrested on suspicion of carrying blades were charged with possession of an offensive weapon - a charge that potentially carries a prison sentence.

Those caught will be brought before the courts in the coming weeks. One blade seized during the recent crackdown was a skull-encrusted knife with two five-inch blades, found when a 17-year-old student tried to get into Oxford and Cherwell Valley College's campus in Blackbird Leys.

Acting Oxford police commander Supt Andy Boyd said extra police patrols had been sent out across the city to help reduce violent crime, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.

He said: "The patrols act as a deterrent to any would-be offenders, but also give us the resources to reduce knife crime by carrying out intelligence-led stop checks, using knife arches and pro-actively finding those in possession of any offensive weapons. If an incident occurs, we have officers available to thoroughly investigate and catch those responsible. It is important people understand that carrying knives in Oxford will not be tolerated.

"If you choose to carry a knife you should expect to be arrested and put before the courts."

During April and May, only half the 22 people caught in Oxford with knives were given criminal charges.

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith led calls for a crackdown on knives after Roy Sinclair, 39, was stabbed in Blackbird Leys, when he tried to intervene in a brawl between teenagers.

Mr Sinclair suffered a punctured lung and kidney injury. His attackers have never been caught.

Mr Smith, who lives in Blackbird Leys, said: "I welcome the police action in tackling this hideous threat.

"The crucial thing is it sends a powerful signal that people must not carry knives and if they do they will be caught and prosecuted.

"The whole community wants to see an end to this awful practice - we have seen how it puts innocent lives so sadly at risk."