What's the point?
Ask yourself, what’s the point? No knife is worth anybody’s life.
The detrimental impact that one knife can have on so many lives is devastating. In the last year and a half, six families have been left navigating a lifetime of heartache, grief, and despair after losing their loved one at the hands of a knife.
Not only that, but multiple people in our force area have unfortunately also suffered serious and life changing injuries as a result of a knife or bladed weapon.
In the hope of saving others the same heartache, the families of those left shattered by knife crime, alongside first responders who tried to save them, and the detectives who then sought justice for them, share their own stories of the detrimental impact one knife can have on so many lives in a bid to tackle knife crime across our region.
Detective Superintendent Al Curtis from our Major Crime Team leading the campaign said: “Nobody should ever lose their life at the hands of a knife, and the consequences of somebody using one can be catastrophic.
“These are not all premeditated attacks by people who sought out specialist or adapted knives, most are incidents involving easily accessible, general household items which have caused deadly consequences as a result of momentary madness whether that be at home, on a night out, or in the street.
“Not only does it impact the family and friends of those who have lost their loved one, it is then the subsequent ripple effect on everybody involved whether they witnessed the incident as it happened or the emergency services who have helped the victim in seeking urgent medical attention.
“Knife crime can impact people from any walk of life, that is why we continue to support the national knife surrender Operation Sceptre which launches on Monday 11 November.
“It is really important to educate our communities that by possessing some types of knives, even just at home, you could be committing a criminal offence. It is also crucial to mention the fact that even if you are not the one carrying a knife, but you were there when a knife was wielded, you too could suffer the criminal consequences.
“By taking part in operations like this, not only can we educate people, but we can remove unwanted knives, and other bladed weapons, from our communities.
“Whether you find yourself in a confrontational situation at home, or are thinking about carrying a knife for your protection, ask yourself, what is the point? One knife impacts more than one life.”
Over 72 years, 865 months, 3754 weeks, 26280 days, 630720 hours, 37843200 minutes, 2270880000 seconds behind bars for the murderers of Sachin Hawkins, Jack Howes and Tom Gaughan.
Just one second to shatter multiple lives.
Sachin Hawkins
On Wednesday 15 November 2023, Sachin Hawkins was helping to tidy his shared student house when Syed Hussain-Kazi instigated a verbal argument with him.
Hussain-Kazi held Sachin against the wall and stabbed him with a kitchen knife before fleeing the property.
Emergency services attended and Sachin was taken to hospital where he died a short time later from one single, fatal stab wound to the heart.
Syed Hussain-Kazi was sentenced to 18 years behind bars for murder.
Jack Howes
On Monday 20 March at approximately 12.30am we received a call from a member of the public, reporting a man was laid on the ground on Macaulay Way following an altercation between a group of men.
Emergency services were immediately deployed and upon arrival, officers and paramedics discovered Jack Howes in the street having sustained multiple stab wounds to his chest and stomach.
Jack was transported to hospital to receive medical treatment, however, despite the efforts of medical staff, Jack died shortly after from his injuries and a murder investigation was launched.
Kian Feve was recently jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years after being found guilty of murder.
Robert Wattam was recently found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Tom Gaughan
On Friday 21 July 2023, Tom Gaughan was out with his friend in Cleethorpes when Connor Hulse, who was also out with friends, walked past him. A verbal altercation took place between the two groups, which escalated into a physical fight.
During the fight, Hulse pulled a knife from the waistband of his trousers and began to swing it around before lunging towards Tom with the knife, causing injuries to his head, ear, shoulder, and arm.
Emergency services attended and Tom was taken to hospital where he remained until Tuesday 15 August 2023 when he died as a result of his injuries.
Connor Hulse was found guilty of murder and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.
The Home Office has also published a long form sit-down with the anti-knife campaigner Faron Paul, as part of its national drive to use trusted voices to land messaging on the importance of government, policing and community leaders working together to tackle knife crime, remove weapons from the streets and protect vulnerable people.
Take a look at the Home Office campaign by following the links below:
X: (15) Home Office on X: "Faron Paul was stabbed 18 times and left for dead. But he survived. His work to remove weapons from UK streets shows what we can achieve when we come together to halve knife crime over the next 10 years." / X
LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/uk-home-office_he-was-stabbed-18-times-lost-40-of-his-activity-7246413513244426240-1WkO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
If you have been a victim of crime, you may need further support and information to assist you through the process. You can visit our website for further support.
The Humber Violence Prevention Partnership exists to lead and coordinate the local response to preventing and reducing serious violence through a public health approach.
It is one of 20 Home Office-funded violence reduction units across England and Wales.
Building on the need to raise awareness about the consequences of knife crime, knife carrying and to deter children and young people from carrying/using knives, the Humber Violence Prevention Partnership have commissioned a filmed interview featuring professionals and individuals with experience of knife crime. The footage will sit in a training package for partners/VCS staff and will support Humberside Police’s Op Sceptre campaign. Alongside this is an educational offer for young people that addresses misconceptions about knife crime.
Goals:
• Equip professionals with the knowledge, skills and capacity to have conversations with children and young people about carrying knives
• Encourage young people to challenge why someone might carry a knife (rather than induce fear that knives are everywhere)
• Emphasise the legal consequences, physical harm and emotional impacts that arise from carrying knives.
Find out more about the campaign and watch the VPP video here.
Humberside Police are supporting the national campaign to tackle knife crime – #Sceptre.
From Monday 11 to Sunday 17 November 2024, we gave members of the public the opportunity to surrender any knives, bladed weapons, and offensive weapons into police stations across the region.
Following legislation, brought in on the 14 July 2021, it is illegal to own certain items including knuckle dusters, zombie knives and throwing stars – even within a private dwelling.
Knife bins were placed outside of the following stations: Goole, Bridlington, Grimsby, Barton, Pocklington, Clough Road, Osborne Street, Beverley, and Scunthorpe.
Sceptre is rolled out across the country twice a year with an aim to reduce the number of people carrying weapons, especially young people. The next Sceptre period will be in May 2025.
Knife crime presents very real dangers and puts people at risk of serious harm, and we want to make it clear to people that there are no questions asked, they can take a knife, or other weapon, to any of the mentioned stations and simply go in and deposit it in the knife bin. There are no forms to complete, and no one should need to make any record of you being there.
We just want to get as many unused knives and weapons out of circulation as possible, so that cannot get into the wrong hands and be used in crime.
I am also wishing to reassure the public that we do not have an escalating knife problem in our area, but it is vital to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime, one young life saved through this scheme is worth everything.
Knife bins will be provided throughout the week in a number of police stations across the force, where members of the public can anonymously and safely hand in weapons to remove these from our streets.
Our officers will be conducting weapon sweeps throughout our force area, with proactive patrols attending local places of education to speak to young people about the dangers of carrying knives.
Our message to those who carry a knife – or those who are thinking of carrying a knife – this does not protect you. It makes you more vulnerable and places you in greater danger of serious harm. What's the point?
Op Calibre is an national campaign with an operational focus on knife-enabled robbery and is being promoted alongside the national Sceptre knife amnesty period.
Anyone can become a target of robbery, but more often some of the most vulnerable in society, such as children, are targeted and the threats that extreme violence may be used often make robbery particularly traumatic.
The main types of personal robbery include:
- Mobile phones
- Groups of offenders using face coverings and approaching lone victims in public places where jewellery and cash are taken by force
- Electric scooters being used to approach victims in public places, before making demands for jewellery
- Offenders targeting potential victims through social media trading sites who are offering expensive items, such as watches for sale
- Phones being targeted for banking apps and crypto wallets
- Firearms and blades continue to be used to facilitate personal robberies with offences predominantly involving the targeting of cash and high value watches
- Distraction offences, often in car parks, where elderly and vulnerable victims are approached by 'good samaritans' offering help or advice
- Elderly victims being followed after making cash withdrawals
Tackling robbery remains a high priority for policing and Operation Calibre brings forces across England and Wales together for a coordinated period of intensification to robbery, a significant contributor to violent crime in the UK.
We are sending a message to those who think it is ok to commit a robbery and inflict violence in our communities: we will not tolerate this. You will end up facing significant consequences and we will catch you.
It is through engagement and working with partners that we can deliver long-lasting change and ensure young people can see the effects robbery can have.
- Man jailed for 14-years for violent stabbing
- 🔎CSI and knife crime investigations feature
- Friday 1 November - Six in custody after girl attacked in Hessle
- Saturday 2 November - Teenagers continue to be questioned following stabbing
- Saturday 2 November - Teenage boy charged after girl attacked in Hessle
- 🕵️♀️Meet the team with ‘a particular set of skills’ Major Crime Team feature
- 💻Digital Detectives digital media investigators feature
- Thursday 7 November - Guilty verdict for Kamil Milczarczyk murder
- Monday 11 November - Launch of #Sceptre – National campaign to tackle knife-crime
- 🎧"999 what's your emergency?" force control room feature
- 🔪The hunt for justice Police Search Advisor feature
- 💔"I’m there to support the family" The role of our family liaison officers feature
- Friday 22 November - Over 100 locations visited as part of National Knife surrender Sceptre
- Families open up their hearts as part of knife crime campaign
- Friday 20 December - Killer jailed for life following Kamil Milczarczyk murder
- Monday 23 December - Lifesaving bleed kits to be rolled out across force area