First police order to curb knife crime handed out in Sussex
Police will be able to stop and search an 18-year-old for offensive weapons for two years
Police will be able to stop and search a Brighton teenager for the next two years, under a first of its kind order in Sussex.
Raphael Arabi has received the county's first Serious Violence Reduction Order (SVRO) in the county after being convicted of possessing a knife.
Officers now have the right to search the 18-year-old, of Queensway, in a public place to check he isn’t carrying an offensive weapon,.
After pleading guilty to possessing a bladed article, Arabi was given a fine and a community order, and ordered to undertake rehabilitation when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates Court on September 20th.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Yates, Sussex Police lead for knife crime and serious violence, said:
"We welcome this additional measure and we are applying in court for 31 more serious violent reduction orders over the coming months.
“Raphael Arabi is the first to receive the order, which gives us the power to stop and search him to check if he is carrying a weapon. If he is found to have a knife or a bladed article, he can be fined or imprisoned for up to two years, or both.
“The pilot will enable us to see if this latest measure has an impact and helps to safeguard the communities of Sussex, by giving us a more proactive approach for dealing with repeat offenders.
"We are working hard to protect the public and prevent offenders from perpetuating a cycle of repeating and escalating their crimes."
Sussex Police is one of four forces alongside Merseyside, Thames Valley and West Midlands, to be piloting the new SVROs over the next two years, targeted at anyone convicted of an offence that involved a bladed item or offensive weapon.
Each order is imposed on top of the sentence for the crime itself. It must last for a minimum of six months but not more than two years. If the defendant is imprisoned, the order takes effect from when the offender is released.
The pilot will be independently evaluated to understand what impact the orders have on re-offending and serious violent crime before a decision is made on whether to roll out the orders nationally.
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said:
"Here in Sussex, I welcome the opportunity for SVROs to drive down knife crime and catch criminals.
"This proactive approach adds to the ongoing range of activity already undertaken by Sussex Police, including early intervention and education for those who are most vulnerable to exploitation by criminal gangs.
"Removing weapons means saving lives and these additional stop and search powers are another way of helping to keep us all safer."