"There is no shielding my children from it": Leaders agree to explore knife crime strategy in Ipswich

Leaders have agreed to explore a new knife crime strategy pilot in a town.

Ipswich councillor, Sam Murray, brought forward a motion calling on county councillors to support the investigation into the benefits of piloting a knife crime action plan in Ipswich.

She said knife crime had become an epidemic in the town and although much had been done to address it, more was needed.

She told us that she has seen the impact of this issue and the devastating impacts it has on the area: “In my own community there have been armed robberies at local shops where people were just trying to make a living, people are quitting their jobs because they’re terrified of what might happen next.

“Imagine kissing your child goodbye in the morning, heading off to work and not knowing if you’ll make it home safely, should that be the reality of someone working in the Co-op?

“Children in Year 6 are being taught about knife crime as part of their Crucial Crew day — though needed, I find this heart-breaking, this is the world we’re handing to them.”

"There is no shielding my children from it "

Councillor Murray has children, her eldest is 12. We asked her if she'd already had to speak to them about the dangers of knife crime:

"This is the harsh reality and it's sad. I would love for them to be blissfully unaware of what is going on around them. But I know that where we live, there will be a child in my son's class who will be targeted.

"That's the way that things are, so I, as a mother and also as a Community leader want to do everything I can in order to prevent that. I think it can be turned around."

In September, the Castle Hill councillor brought forward a similar motion to Ipswich Borough Council but was turned down as borough leaders felt the current serious violence strategy was already set up, leading to county lines activity going down ‘quite dramatically’ as a result.

Sam also told us that she worries about the younger generation now and how they could be carrying knives: "The numbers are are predominantly teenagers.

"I've got a shop on Queen's Way where I face a knife bin every single day and I get to know these kids and it breaks my heart to think that in a couple of years time, who knows what their future might be. "

"We are shifting towards a knife epidemic"

Councillor Murray told us she appreciates the other work that is being done to tackle this issue around the county but feels Ipswich needs a specific plan as it has different needs to the more rural areas:

"We have seen knife-related incidents in the town centre when an argument unfolds on a night out and then someone draws a knife.

"Unfortunately, it's also becoming a cultural thing where people carry a knife to feel safe, but they don't appreciate that statistically, you're more likely to be harmed by a knife if you're carrying one.

"So there's an educational thing. And I think culturally, we are shifting towards a knife epidemic."

Ipswich MP, Jack Abbott, also disagreed with an Ipswich-specific strategy, arguing the borough was not responsible for knife crime.

He instead called for a Suffolk knife crime coalition to be set up to expand on the existing Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) and for the police to get more agency in addressing challenges.

“Communities are the strongest when they’re working together"

Supporting the motion, Cllr Joe Mason, from Haverhill, recalled the fatal stabbing of Harley Barfield, 16, in January last year and called for more to be done.

He said: “Communities are the strongest when they’re working together toward a common aim — everybody has a part to play, as an avid litter picker, I’ve pulled 12-inch blades out of children’s playgrounds.

“Suffolk is a safe county, but we mustn’t be complacent because it is out there even in our quiet communities.”

The opposition spokesperson, Councillor Penny Otton, announced the GLI group’s support for the motion but called for specific attention to be given to several aspects of knife crime, including education, social inclusion, poverty and the ease of acquiring knives.

Councillor Bobby Bennett, the lead for the county’s children and young people’s services, drew attention to those who were both victims and perpetrators and who went from being a ‘child at risk to a youth seen as a risk’.

Suggestions were made that a successful pilot scheme in Ipswich could lead to others being set up to focus on specific places across the county.

The motion received unanimous support from those present during the meeting, including several Labour Ipswich councillors.

A meeting of the county council’s safer stronger communities board will be held in March 2025 to investigate the benefits of an Ipswich-specific scheme.

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