KNIFE MAYHEM - BRITAIN FACES SUMMER OF BLOODSHED

KNIFE MAYHEM: Britain faces summer of BLOODSHED unless police handed stronger powers

BRITAIN faces a summer of bloodshed unless swift action is taken to curb violent street crime, MPs warned last night. An unprecedented year of carnage peaked at the weekend with a series of stabbings and shootings, sparking calls to urgently equip the police with stronger powers.

By GILES SHELDRICK

PUBLISHED: 00:01, Mon, Jun 4, 2018 | UPDATED: 11:00, Mon, Jun 4, 2018

In London, three men were seriously injured by gunfire, while at least four men were stabbed in separate incidents as police were overwhelmed by a scale of street savagery not seen before.

Elsewhere a 17-year-old boy was stabbed and killed in Ipswich and two police officers were knifed on duty in Scotland.

MPs said the majority of the violent disorder was being fuelled by feuding gangs of drug dealing young men and called for stronger stop and search powers.

Tory MP and former police minister Sir Mike Penning said: “Police chiefs have got to give their frontline officers the confidence to stop and search while the CPS have to throw the book at those who carry and use knives because that’s the only way we will have a deterrent.

“Unless that happens we are going to be in for a very difficult summer and years ahead.

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Nearly all the problems surrounding knife crime are down to drugs and gangs

Sir Mike Penning

“Nearly all the problems surrounding knife crime are down to drugs and gangs. Police chiefs have to understand the public is not going to put up with this any longer.”