Cash windfall to tackle rising knife crime in South Yorkshire

Organisations across South Yorkshire have received a cash windfall of nearly £70, 000 to tackle a rising tide of knife crime.
Victoria Atkins MP.Victoria Atkins MP.
Victoria Atkins MP.

Services in Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster were among 67 nationwide to benefit from a share of the Home Office's £1.5 million Anti-Knife Crime Community Fund.

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Jarvin Blake.Jarvin Blake.
Jarvin Blake.

This comes after four fatal stabbings in Sheffield in as many months.

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Doncaster Children’s Services Trust and EPIC Youth Crime Prevention in Doncaster were the biggest recipients with £29, 000.

The money will be used to deliver the ‘Think Young and Safe’ and ‘Think Forward Knife Crime’ intervention programmes to Year 5 and 6 pupils in schools across the town.

In addition, £26, 000 has been provided for 'street doctors' in Sheffield to deliver knife crime teaching sessions at a variety of venues such as youth clubs.

And Rotherham United's Community Sports Trust received £12, 000 to roll out the ‘Cut it Out’ programme to young people suspected of carrying knives.

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Victoria Atkins, minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability, said: "Early intervention and prevention is vital to tackling serious violence and I am delighted we are able to increase the funding available to support more organisations."

Knife crime has been a major issue in Sheffield after a spate of fatal stabbings between March and June.

Father-of-three Jarvin Blake, aged 22, died after being attacked in Burngreave on March 8.

In late May, 19-year-old Ryan Jowle was fatally stabbed in Woodhouse and just two days later 15-year-old Sam Baker lost his life after being stabbed in Lowedges.

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Glenn Boardman, aged 59, was found stabbed to death in a house in Chapeltown on June 26.

Murder charges have been brought against suspects in the cases of Jowle, Baker and Boardman but nobody has been charged in relation to the Jarvin Blake case.

In addition figures from South Yorkshire Police showed knife crime has risen in recent years.

Offences in Sheffield went up by 41 per cent, with 557 reported.

There were 277 knife crimes in Doncaster - up 47 per cent; 186 in Rotherham - up 52 per cent and 156 in Barnsley - up 51 per cent.