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"Knife crime on our doorstep" says Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner
August 5, 2008 3:00 PM
Knife crime figures for Bedfordshire are higher than the national average
Knife crime is worse in Bedfordshire than the national average according to figures unearthed by the Bedford and Kempston Liberal Democrats.
The figures show that, in Bedfordshire, 22 per cent of all serious crime involves a knife, whilst nationally, only 19 per cent of serious crime involves a knife.
This news comes on top of the discovery that no-one in Bedfordshire (or England as a whole) has been put in jail for selling a knife to someone under the age of 18 since 2003.
Right across the UK only 71 people have been successfully prosecuted for selling knives to the children in the last five years.
Henry Vann, Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner said:
"I am shocked at these figures. It's too easy to associate knife crime with inner cities, but it's right here on our doorstep in Bedford.
"We need to come down heavily on those who sell knives to our children - not let them get off with a get out of jail free card - this government is obsessed with putting young people in prison whilst letting the suppliers of weapons get away with it.
"The only party with policies that will reduce knife crime is the Liberal Democrats - we will put 10,000 more police on our streets by getting rid of an ineffective and expensive ID card scheme.
"But we will also improve policing by allowing the police to form closer ties with their communities and build the trust that is vital for effective crime fighting."
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