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London violent crime could take 'a generation' to solve | London violent crime could take 'a generation' to solve |
(about 1 hour later) | |
It could take a generation to solve London's violent crime problem, the city's mayor has warned. | |
Two teenage boys and two men have been stabbed to death in the city in the last five days, including 15-year-old Jay Hughes. | Two teenage boys and two men have been stabbed to death in the city in the last five days, including 15-year-old Jay Hughes. |
Mayor Sadiq Khan told the BBC's Today programme to "really make significant progress can take up to 10 years". | |
Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said combating violence crime "isn't just about police numbers". | |
More than 110 murder investigations have been launched across the capital this year. | More than 110 murder investigations have been launched across the capital this year. |
Jay Hughes, 15, was stabbed to death in a premeditated attack at a chicken shop in Bellingham, south-east London, on Thursday. | Jay Hughes, 15, was stabbed to death in a premeditated attack at a chicken shop in Bellingham, south-east London, on Thursday. |
Another teenager Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was then knifed to death outside Clapham South station on Friday afternoon. | |
In September, a London Violence Reduction Unit was set up mirroring the approach taken in Glasgow, where violence is treated as a public health issue and "a disease infecting communities". | |
According to City Hall figures police coverage in London is at its lowest rate in 20 years with 3.3 police officers for every thousand Londoners - the lowest rate since 1998 and 19% below 2010. | |
Local leaders need to be more successful in lobbying the government for more money for policing, Mr Khan said. | |
The mayor said children as young as primary school age are now carrying knives and warned it could take "a generation" to solve the problem. | |
He added: "They saw in Scotland what we're seeing in London which is children in primary school thinking not only is it OK to carry a knife, but it gives them a sense of belonging, joining a criminal gang, it makes them feel safer. | He added: "They saw in Scotland what we're seeing in London which is children in primary school thinking not only is it OK to carry a knife, but it gives them a sense of belonging, joining a criminal gang, it makes them feel safer. |
"We have to be tough in relation to enforcement. But we have to give young people constructive things to do, investing in youth centre, youth workers and after school clubs. | |
"We need to use all resources we at our disposal we can to address this horror." | |
Mrs Atkins said the Home Office was taking a "wrap around approach" to tackling violent crime. | |
"Drugs is major player in this rise, we know that serious organised crime is a major factor as well," she added. | |
"Which is why we are not just focusing on serious violence strategy, but also serious organised crime strategy to hit both ends of the violent crime cycle." | |
Local authority and health care professionals will have a new legal duty to take action and prevent violent crime, under plans announced by the government in October. | |
As well as the two teenagers being killed, Rocky Djelal, 38, was stabbed to death in a busy London park beside a playground in Southwark on Wednesday. | |
Two men have also been arrested over the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old man in Bromley on Sunday. | Two men have also been arrested over the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old man in Bromley on Sunday. |
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