Fighting a war against the scourge of knives
As a judge today warns young people in Shropshire they risk prison if they carry and use knives, Dominic Robertson looks back on a tumultuous six months of knife crime in the county since the beginning of the year.
Earlier this year Shropshire was the focus of a vivid illustration of the shocking effect of knife crime.
It came as three men were jailed for a New Year’s Day attack outside the Buttermarket nightclub in Shrewsbury.
Two others were also sentenced for the attack, the aftermath of which was seen by millions on the BBC fly-on-the-wall documentary Ambulance.
Cain Kirlew, 22, was jailed for eight years after he left Aqueeb Altaf with 16 stab wounds, and also stabbed his friend Umar Shahzad, leaving a trail of blood in the street outside the nightclub.
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Then as the violence led to a nearby car park, Cain’s 28-year-old brother Erroll attacked two other men, Daniel Collings and Aaron Powell, who had tried to come to the aid of the other victims.
He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years, with Jordan Pearson jailed for five years and three months.
Sentencing at Shrewsbury Crown Court Judge Peter Barrie described the attack as a burst of serious violence that led to serious injuries. He also warned the stabbing of Mr Altaf could have been a lot more serious. He said: “Each of you played a part in this outburst of serious violence that resulted in serious injuries to a number of people.”
Violent crimes reported since start of this year
July 13
A man was taken to hospital after being stabbed during a fight in Telford. The 18-year-old had to be treated for back injuries after the attack in Blakemoor, Brookside, Telford. The air ambulance was called to the scene. The victim’s injuries were serious but not life threatening.
July 11
Three men are injured in an assault in Woodside, Telford. Three men were taken to hospital for treatment with one in a stable but critical condition.
June 29
Reports of men “fighting in the street” with one 20-year-old left with a slash wound to his face. Police described the injury as serious and launched an appeal for witnesses after the incident at Ketley Bank, Telford, at around 7.50pm. Two men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder, and another was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
June 22
A man is charged with wounding following a disturbance in Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury. The 22-year-old was charged with section 18 – wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
June 21
Two men said to be in possession of a knife forced a man out of his car and stole the vehicle. The car-jacking took place between 10.30pm and 11pm near the end of Westbourne, Woodside. The victim was left with injuries to his hand.
June 21
Police were called to Brunel Road in Malinslee around 3pm after reports a teenager was in possession of a samurai sword in the street. It was believed the sword was in a sheath but was visible to members of the public.
June 9
A man was left with a slash wound to his arm after an attempted stabbing last month. He had been approached by a gang of four men in two cars near to the former Horse & Jockey pub near Cleobury Mortimer at about 10.50pm. Police said one of the men tried to stab the victim, leaving him with a slash wound to his arm.
May 30
Two teenage boys assaulted by a man riding a bike and carrying a knife. They were in the Castle Walk Park area of Shrewsbury, near to the Castle Walk footbridge over the River Severn at the time of the incident.
May 1
Two men threatening the public with a samurai sword in Telford at 11am near to Waverley and Wayside on Woodside. Police said: “It was reported one of the men was in possession of a samurai sword and appeared to threaten members of the public with it.”
April 9
Three men left with stab wounds after an argument between two groups. Those involved were in two cars on Wrockwardine Road in Telford at around 3.40pm.
March 30
Disturbance outside bus station in Northfield Street, Telford, where people were reported to be in possession of weapons.
March 11
Man left with stab wound to the leg after being assaulted at 5.50pm on Howard Street, Shrewsbury. The victim, in his early 20s, was walking across The Dana footbridge when he was approached by four young men. The man made off on foot along Howard Street before being attacked again.
March 8
A man was threatened with a knife during an assault by four people that took place in Telford. The man, in his 50s, was attacked while walking along a footpath from Southwater Way in the town centre towards Brunel Road in Malinslee. He was assaulted, and punched and kicked while he was on his knees and was threatened with a knife.
February 21
A 46-year-old woman died after being stabbed in her home in Mullinder Drive, Ketley, Telford. Lynn McNally, 46, of Mullinder Drive, died of multiple knife wounds on February 21. Paul Beddoes is accused of her murder. He denies the charge and will face a trial in August.
January 1
Four people treated in hospital after being stabbed near the Buttermarket nightclub in Shrewsbury. Five men aged between 18 and 28 were sentenced as a result of the attack. The incident took place at around 3.20am on Howard’s Bank.
Shropshire's Knife Angel stands against knife crime
Shropshire is home to one of the country’s most prominent symbols of the fight against knife crime – the Knife Angel. The giant sculpture, created at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, is made up of more than 100,000 knives handed in to UK police forces.
The artwork has gained the support of high profile campaigners and victims of knife crime, with Clive Knowles, chairman of the British Ironwork Centre, keen to see the sculpture hosted in cities across the country.
The angel was rejected as an option to appear on London’s Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, much to the disappointment of Mr Knowles.
He said: “This is a national monument for peace yet it has, at the moment, been spurned by the city of London. That has been very demoralising. It is gratifying to know that other cities are not fearful of getting involved with this symbol of peace.”
