Sheffield knife crime: Police’s sweep of Sheffield park for Giannini murder weapon found four discarded knives

Police have revealed how a sweep for a murder weapon on a Sheffield park turned up four discarded knives.

And yet, in a startling insight into knife crime in the Steel City, none of them was even the one they were looking for.

The search came as part of the exhaustive investigation by South Yorkshire Police over the unsolved murder of Carlo Giannini, which was laid bare in an inquest in April.

The body of Carlo Giannini, 34, was discovered in Manor Fields Park on the morning of May 12, 2022. He was stabbed once in the chest and may have been dead up to four hours before he was found. His killers remain at large.

At his inquest, officers revealed the extensive efforts to crack the case over the course of two years, include a near total sweep of Manor Fields Park for evidence.

But, in an insight into the plague of knife crime in Sheffield, South Yorkshire Police has revealed how that search alone found four other discarded knives in the park off City Road, Arbourhthorne.

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It comes after multiple stabbings in Sheffield. Two boys were hospitalised on May 3 when in a knife attack in Mortomley Park, High Green, leading to four arrests.

A 17-year-old boy was left fighting for his life when he was stabbed in the lower back by two unknown offenders in an underpass off St Mary’s Gate on April 8.

And, two teenagers have been charged with attempted murder after a man was stabbed on West Street on March 9.

Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Hodgman said: “A large scale investigation has taken place during which we have recovered four knives, however, following forensic testing none of them can be linked to the murder or a handler of the knife. 

“The investigation into the murder of Carlo Giannini is still open and enquiries are continuing. Trained officers continue to be in contact with Gianni’s family, and will continue to offer them support as we pursue all leads. 

“Anyone with information is asked to call South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 122 of May 12, 2022. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers, free and anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”