44 orders secured in six months against knife crime offenders in Merseyside
It allows officers to search them for weapons in public
44 people in Merseyside are now the subject of court orders that allows police officers to search them for weapons in public.
Merseyside Police started trialling the use of 'Serious Violence Reducation Orders' in April 2023 as another tool to reduce knife crime across the county.
The court can make an order when an adult is convicted of an offence involving a blade or offensive weapon.
The force was one of the first in the country to issue an order in June, when a woman pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Of the 44 orders secured, 27 people have gone to prison for knife crime offences totaling more than 23 years.
Six arrests have been made for breaching an order.
The pilot is running for two years, when a decision will then be made on whether to roll it out across the country.
Superintendent Phil Mullally, Merseyside's Lead for Serious Violence and Knife Crime, said:
"We remain committed to targeting those who choose to carry weapons on our streets and bring them to justice. The launch of SVROs in April has given us another tool to target high-risk offenders who have been convicted of an offence involving a bladed article or knife.
"Six months in, SVROs are being used to keep the pressure on those who persist in unlawfully carrying knives in Merseyside and prevent further violence. Officers are proactively monitoring individuals with live SVROs and undertaking stop searches when they are in a public place.
"Early evidence suggests that the orders are acting as a deterrent to carrying a knife, given that we have the automatic right to search them when in a public place.
"Don't do it"
"While we have seen knife crime and serious violence decrease, we are not complacent and know that one incident is one too many. My message to anyone carrying a knife is simple. Don’t do it. If you do, you will be arrested, charged, and remanded to court, where we will apply for a SVRO against you."
District Crown Prosecutor Mandy Nepal, the lead on SVROs in CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said:
"Knife crime ruins lives, and it is not just habitual offenders who end up being caught in these fatally violent situations. If a knife is removed from a heated exchange because people are more reluctant to carry them due to a protective order, then the community is a safer place.
"Joint working with Merseyside Police has been key to the pilot running smoothly. I contributed to regular stakeholder meetings to ensure that we were all ready for the pilot – these were extremely valuable and facilitated strong collaborative working.
"We've continued to work closely together to ensure the new measures are being implemented appropriately – a real shared understanding has been built which has made both prosecutors and officers feel confident with the process."
Merseyside Police say knife crime has reduced by 11% and serious violent crime has gone down by 9% this financial year.