The number of teenagers and young adults stabbed to death in England and Wales reached the highest level for eight years, official figures show.
Police recorded a total of 215 fatal stabbings in the 12 months to March 2017. This was a similar number to the 212 recorded for the previous 12 months, but a 16% increase over the 186 in the year to March 2015.
The number of women and girls who died as a result of knife crime last year was 51, the lowest number in a decade. The number of men and boys killed was 164, the highest since 2009, the Office for National Statistics said.
“Male victims aged 16 to 24 years and 35 to 44 years have seen the biggest increases over the last year, with both groups having 10 more homicides than in the year ending March 2016,” the ONS said.
The detailed figures show that 10 teenagers aged 16 to 17 and 51 young adults aged 18 to 24 died as a result of knife crime in 2016-17. The combined figure of 61 is the highest since 2008-09, when 67 young people were killed in stabbings.
Six under-16s died as a result of knife crime in 2016-17. The number has fluctuated since the last peak of 14 in 2010-11.
Thirty-two people died in shootings last year, seven more than in the previous year and 11 more than in the year to March 2015. However, gun offences are still 45% below the level seen a decade ago.
