Knife crime rise brought sharply into focus after weekend of bloodshed in Milton Keynes

The staggering rise of knife crime in Milton Keynes has been brought sharply into focus after two teenage boys were stabbed to death over the weekend.
NewsNews
News

Two 17-year-old boys died overnight on Saturday after being stabbed at a birthday party gone tragically wrong in Emerson Valley.

MK Citizen understands the boys who lost their lives are Dom Ansah and Ben Rice.

Police have now launched a double murder investigation and are appealing for witnesses.

Read More
Read more: Double murder at house party sends shockwaves through Milton Keynes

Just weeks ago, BBC revealed that knife crime had risen by a staggering 90 per cent in Milton Keynes over the past two years.

They asked for details of serious knife crime in their area, including any assault, robbery, threat to kill, murder or sexual offence involving a knife or sharp instrument.

And the results placed Milton Keynes as one of the top three fastest-growing areas for knife crime, ahead of London.

Earlier this year the Police and Crime Commissioner awarded £800,000 to groups across the Thames Valley Police area to help tackle knife crime amongst children.

Matthew Barber, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner said at the time: “Given the recent increase in knife crime, we need to look at what more we can do to protect young people from violence and exploitation and how we can work even more closely in partnership with both statutory and community organisations to try to reverse this trend.”

He added: “These projects we’ve funded will help tackle this issue by working with young people at both ends of the spectrum of youth violence, from early intervention programmes to identify and support those at risk of involvement in knife crime, gangs or drug dealing to supporting those young people already involved."

Anyone who has any information about Saturday's stabbings should contact police via the 24-hour 101 number, quoting URN 1761 19/10.

Or they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.