Homicides increase by 14% as knife crime rises

Homicides have increased by 14% in a year while offences involving a knife are up by 8%, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Official data shows there were 90 more homicides recorded by the police in the year to September 2018, excluding victims of terror attacks, with the total number up from 649 to 739.

Statisticians said this continues an upward trend since March 2014, indicating a change to the long-term decrease over the previous decade.

The data published on Thursday shows overall crime rose by 7%, with a total of 5,723,182 offences recorded.

Crimes involving violence against the person are up by 19%, which includes a 41% increase in stalking and harassment offences.

Commenting on the figures, Helen Ross, from the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “In recent decades we’ve seen the overall level of crime falling, but in the last year, it remained level.

“There are variations within this overall figure, depending on the type of crime.

“Burglary, shoplifting and computer misuse are decreasing but others, such as vehicle offences and robbery are rising.

“We have also seen increases in some types of ‘lower-volume, high-harm’ violence including offences involving knives or sharp instruments.”

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