Children As Young As 10 Caught Up In London’s Growing Knife Crime Crisis

Children across London are getting younger when it comes to carrying and using knives, with shocking new figures revealing just how deeply knife crime is affecting teenagers and even primary school aged children.

New data and youth justice reports show that teenagers and young adults under 25 now account for around half of both the victims and suspects involved in knife crime incidents across the capital.

Even more alarming is the growing number of children aged between 10 and 14 being linked to violent offences involving knives.

Recent safety audits and crime reports have highlighted a disturbing trend emerging across London. Violent crime suspects are getting younger, with increasing concern over children carrying knives for protection, status, intimidation and robbery.

Figures from the Youth Justice Board show that in the year ending March 2024, more than 3,200 knife or offensive weapon offences committed by children resulted in cautions or convictions across England and Wales.

The majority of offences involving teenagers are linked to possession rather than actual attacks. Around 99.7 percent of formal youth justice actions involving minors relate to possession offences rather than using the weapon itself.

However, police and youth workers warn that simply carrying a knife dramatically increases the risk of serious injury or death.

Many young people caught with knives are also first time offenders.

Statistics show around 70 percent of youth offenders involved in knife related incidents had never previously committed an offence before becoming caught up in the criminal justice system.

The figures also reveal the devastating impact knife crime is having on young victims.

Across London, approximately 48 percent of knife crime victims are aged 25 and under despite making up only around 30 percent of the capital’s population.

Experts say fear is increasingly driving children to arm themselves.

Teenagers report carrying knives because they fear being robbed for phones, trainers or jackets while travelling home from school or moving through transport hubs.

Police across London continue to increase patrols around schools, bus routes and hotspots linked to youth robberies and serious violence.

Youth workers and campaigners say social media, gang culture and the normalisation of carrying weapons are also fuelling the problem.

Despite public concern, sentencing data shows most teenagers convicted or cautioned for knife offences do not receive prison sentences.

Around 61 percent receive community sentences while only a small percentage are handed immediate custody.

Police leaders, schools and youth organisations continue to warn that prevention and early intervention remain critical before more children are drawn into violent crime.

The growing crisis has reignited calls for more neighbourhood policing, stronger youth services and tougher action against those exploiting children and normalising knife carrying among teenagers.

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