FOIA - 462/19 - Knife crime

Under the Freedom of Information Act I request:-

1. Please can you supply a breakdown of knife crime offences for the calendar years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and to the end of March 2019 by individual neighbourhoods within the boundaries of your police force.

Area 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total Alnwick 1 3 6 4 2 16 Ashington 5 8 12 14 28 7 74 Bedlington 3 4 7 12 7 3 36 /Elswick 27 37 20 59 67 9 219 Berwick 3 1 2 3 7 2 18 /Kenton/ 5 7 8 17 12 2 51 Blyth 11 9 13 27 28 2 90 Boldon & East Shields 15 5 8 8 18 6 60 /Walker 23 39 27 44 58 12 203 Central 11 21 17 36 50 13 148 Cramlington 5 5 1 8 15 1 35 /Scotswood 14 12 10 24 17 5 82 & Central Quays 22 27 25 38 37 12 161 Gateshead East & Felling 12 16 9 21 19 5 82 Gateshead Inn West & 5 11 19 17 17 5 74 Gateshead South 10 10 9 22 18 2 71 Gateshead South & Birtley 2 8 6 11 7 4 38 Gateshead West & 6 7 11 23 19 3 69 /Great Park 2 7 1 10 10 2 32 & 12 12 17 27 30 7 105 Hexham 2 3 5 4 3 17 Houghton 13 4 10 11 21 1 60 /Heaton 9 13 7 17 11 3 60 9 8 4 13 21 6 61 Morpeth 2 5 8 12 6 4 37 14 17 16 35 34 13 129 Prudhoe 3 3 4 3 3 2 18 Riverside & West 23 25 28 51 39 8 174 Central 13 17 11 32 31 5 109 Sunderland East 6 15 10 24 20 2 77 Sunderland North 8 16 14 30 36 9 113 Sunderland South 7 2 3 9 9 3 33 Sunderland West 12 18 17 21 28 5 101 15 24 17 28 29 10 123 Washington 10 11 12 19 18 2 72 / 17 9 11 32 29 4 102 13 9 7 17 9 3 58 Total 369 446 409 785 815 184 3008

2. Please can you give a breakdown for the calendar years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and to the end of March 2019 by individual neighbourhoods of knife crime offences, broken down by:

a) Homicide

Murder 2014 2015 2016 2017 2019 Total Benwell/Elswick 1 1 Blyth 1 1 Central 1 1 Gateshead & Central Quays 1 1 2 Gosforth/Great Park 1 1 Hebburn & Jarrow 1 1 Killingworth 2 2 North Shields 1 1 2 Sunderland Central 1 1 Sunderland East 1 1 Sunderland North 1 1 2 Sunderland South 1 1 Westerhope/Newburn 2 2 Whitley Bay 1 1 Total 7 3 3 4 2 19

b) Assault with injury and assault with intent to cause serious harm

Assault 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total Alnwick 1 2 6 3 1 13 Ashington 2 4 10 10 23 6 55 Bedlington 3 4 5 8 6 1 27 Benwell/Elswick 16 24 13 37 39 4 133 Berwick 3 1 2 3 5 2 16 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 5 3 7 11 8 2 36 Blyth 7 4 7 22 17 2 59 Boldon & East Shields 9 5 7 6 15 4 46 Byker/Walker 14 25 15 29 36 10 129 Central 6 6 5 14 27 5 63 Cramlington 3 4 7 12 1 27 Fenham/Scotswood 6 7 5 15 9 2 44 Gateshead & Central Quays 12 17 15 20 29 8 101 Gateshead East & Felling 7 11 3 14 12 5 52 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 3 7 14 10 12 2 48 Gateshead South 7 3 7 15 14 1 47 Gateshead South & Birtley 2 2 4 6 3 4 21 Gateshead West & Blaydon 3 6 7 14 18 3 51 Gosforth/Great Park 1 4 1 7 4 1 18 Hebburn & Jarrow 12 7 12 19 26 4 80 Hexham 23443 16 Houghton 7 4 5 9 16 41 Jesmond/Heaton 3 8 5 9 8 2 35 Killingworth 4 6 3 8 17 4 42 Morpeth 2 3 7 10 5 3 30 North Shields 10 8 12 22 24 9 85 Prudhoe 2 2 3 3 3 1 14 Riverside & West 16 18 20 34 30 4 122 Sunderland Central 6 10 5 24 22 2 69 Sunderland East 3 10 5 13 12 1 44 Sunderland North 6 14 12 20 31 8 91 Sunderland South 5 1 3 9 8 2 28 Sunderland West 5 12 10 17 26 4 74 Wallsend 9 12 8 19 20 7 75 Washington 8 10 10 12 11 1 52 Westerhope/Newburn 10 7 6 24 25 4 76 Whitley Bay 8 8 7 12 8 3 46 Total 227 281 266 522 587 123 2006

c) Robbery

Robbery 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total Alnwick 1 1 Ashington 3 4 2 4 5 1 19 Bedlington 2 4 2 8 Benwell/Elswick 11 12 6 21 26 4 80 Berwick 1 1 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 3 3 4 10 Blyth 34659 27 Boldon & East Shields 5 1 2 3 2 13 Byker/Walker 9 13 11 14 21 2 70 Central 5 13 12 20 22 8 80 Cramlington 2 1 1 1 3 8 Fenham/Scotswood 8 4 5 8 7 3 35 Gateshead & Central Quays 10 9 9 16 7 3 54 Gateshead East & Felling 5 4 5 6 6 26 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 2 3 5 7 4 3 24 Gateshead South 3 7 2 6 4 1 23 Gateshead South & Birtley 4 2 5 4 15 Gateshead West & Blaydon 1 1 4 9 15 Gosforth/Great Park 1 3 6 1 11 Hebburn & Jarrow 4 5 7 3 2 21 Hexham 1 1 Houghton 4 5 2 5 1 17 Jesmond/Heaton 6 5 2 7 3 1 24 Killingworth 1 2 1 5 4 1 14 Morpeth 2 1 1 1 5 North Shields 3 7 3 11 9 4 37 Prudhoe 1 1 1 1 4 Riverside & West 7 6 8 13 8 3 45 Sunderland Central 6 6 6 7 9 2 36 Sunderland East 3 2 5 10 5 1 26 Sunderland North 1 1 2 8 5 1 18 Sunderland South 1 1 1 3 Sunderland West 7 6 7 4 2 1 27 Wallsend 6 11 7 8 9 3 44 Washington 1 1 1 6 7 1 17 Westerhope/Newburn 5 2 4 8 3 22 Whitley Bay 4 1 4 1 10 Total 124 139 133 234 207 54 891

3. Please can you give a breakdown for the calendar years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and to the end of March 2019 by individual neighbourhoods of knife crime offences, broken down by the number resulting in a charge or summons.

Charge/Summons 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total Alnwick 1 1 2 1 5 Ashington 3 2 7 2 9 1 24 Bedlington 2 3 3 2 1 1 12 Benwell/Elswick 13 17 5 13 13 61 Berwick 2 2 5 9 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 2 6 7 3 18 Blyth 8 5 4 11 7 35 Boldon & East Shields 9 4 4 2 1 20 Byker/Walker 12 14 12 15 17 5 75 Central 4 10 6 11 4 1 36 Cramlington 3 3 1 2 2 11 Fenham/Scotswood 7 4 1 6 3 1 22 Gateshead & Central Quays 14 11 13 13 10 1 62 Gateshead East & Felling 5 6 2 2 5 1 21 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 1 4 4 4 2 2 17 Gateshead South 4 4 4 5 4 21 Gateshead South & Birtley 2 5 1 2 4 3 17 Gateshead West & Blaydon 4 2 6 5 6 23 Gosforth/Great Park 1 2 2 4 9 Hebburn & Jarrow 5 6 6 10 10 3 40 Hexham 1 1 1 1 1 5 Houghton 7 3 2 3 3 18 Jesmond/Heaton 5 5 2 5 2 1 20 Killingworth 5 4 1 2 5 17 Morpeth 1 1 4 2 1 9 North Shields 11 7 5 10 5 2 40 Prudhoe 1 2 3 Riverside & West 15 13 9 12 9 1 59 Sunderland Central 6 8 5 12 5 1 37 Sunderland East 2 7 3 5 5 22 Sunderland North 5 5 3 8 10 4 35 Sunderland South 5 1 1 2 2 11 Sunderland West 7 13 4 5 3 1 33 Wallsend 4 11 5 3 4 2 29 Washington 7 3 4 4 2 20 Westerhope/Newburn 11 4 5 3 7 30 Whitley Bay 5 3 3 6 4 1 22 Total 196 194 142 199 183 34 948

4. Please can you give a breakdown for 2018 calendar year of knife crime offences by ethnicity of the victim by individual neighbourhoods; please use the categories a) black, b) white, c) Asian, d) mixed and e) other (as per ONS categories).

Chinese, White - White - Japanese, Middle Other/ Victim ethnicity Asian Black North South Total South East Eastern Unknown European European Asian Alnwick 4 4 Ashington 27 27 Bedlington 6 1 7 Benwell/Elswick 12 6 42 2 3 65 Berwick 1 5 1 7 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 1 9 2 12 Blyth 27 1 28 Boldon & East Shields 17 1 18 Byker/Walker 1 4 46 2 1 54 Central 4 2 1 44 1 1 53 Cramlington 14 14 Fenham/Scotswood 1 15 16 Gateshead & Central Quays 1 34 1 36 Gateshead East & Felling 2 17 19 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 16 1 17 Gateshead South 1 13 4 18 Gateshead South & Birtley 6 6 Gateshead West & Blaydon 1 18 19 Gosforth/Great Park 1 9 10 Hebburn & Jarrow 29 1 30 Hexham 3 3 Houghton 1 19 20 Jesmond/Heaton 1 171 111 Killingworth 18 1 19 Morpeth 6 6 North Shields 1 31 32 Prudhoe 3 3 Riverside & West 3 33 2 38 Sunderland Central 2 1 1 25 2 31 Sunderland East 2 18 20 Sunderland North 1 1 33 35 Sunderland South 1 8 9 Sunderland West 26 1 27 Wallsend 28 28 Washington 16 16 Westerhope/Newburn 1 28 29 Whitley Bay 8 8 Total 34 15 1 6 708 8 23 795

5. Please can you give a breakdown for 2018 calendar year of knife crime offences by ethnicity of the suspect by individual neighbourhoods; please use the categories a) black, b) white, c) Asian, d) mixed and e) other (as per ONS categories).

Chinese, White - White - Japanese, Other/Unk Suspect ethnicity Asian Black North South Total South East nown European European Asian Alnwick 2 2 Ashington 10 10 Bedlington 6 6 Benwell/Elswick 2 16 2 20 Berwick 6 6 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 3 3 Blyth 13 13 Boldon & East Shields 5 5 Byker/Walker 1 29 30 Central 12181 13 Cramlington 8 8 Fenham/Scotswood 6 1 7 Gateshead & Central Quays 2 14 16 Gateshead East & Felling 10 10 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 1 7 8 Gateshead South 4 4 Gateshead South & Birtley 3 3 Gateshead West & Blaydon 1 1 5 7 Gosforth/Great Park 1 8 9 Hebburn & Jarrow 14 14 Hexham 1 1 2 Houghton 19 19 Jesmond/Heaton 1 1 1 3 Killingworth 1 10 11 Morpeth 1 1 North Shields 10 10 Prudhoe 2 2 Riverside & West 14 14 Sunderland Central 1 9 10 Sunderland East 13 13 Sunderland North 2 20 1 23 Sunderland South 2 2 Sunderland West 16 16 Wallsend 6 6 Washington 8 8 Westerhope/Newburn 14 14 Whitley Bay 6 6 Total 6 11 1 329 5 2 354

6. Please can you give a breakdown for 2018 calendar year of knife crime offences by age of the victims by individual neighbourhoods; please use the categories a) Under 18, b) 18-24, c) 25-34, d) 35-44, e) 45-54 and f) 55+

Victim age groups Under 18 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55+ Not recorded Total Alnwick 2 1 1 4 Ashington 1 5 7 4 6 4 27 Bedlington 1 2 2 1 1 7 Benwell/Elswick 3 14 26 10 8 4 65 Berwick 1 6 7 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 1 3 3 3 1 1 12 Blyth 3 6 8 5 3 2 128 Boldon & East Shields 3 5 3 2 5 18 Byker/Walker 8 7 20 8 8 2 1 54 Central 11 19 14 8 1 53 Cramlington 1 3 4 4 2 14 Fenham/Scotswood 3 5 4 3 1 16 Gateshead & Central Quays 3 9 12 9 2 1 36 Gateshead East & Felling 1 9 5 2 2 19 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 1 1 8 3 4 17 Gateshead South 4 2 2 7 1 2 18 Gateshead South & Birtley 2 3 1 6 Gateshead West & Blaydon 2 1 8 2 3 3 19 Gosforth/Great Park 2 4 2 1 1 10 Hebburn & Jarrow 2 6 8 9 5 30 Hexham 1 1 1 3 Houghton 2 2 8 6 1 1 20 Jesmond/Heaton 62111 11 Killingworth 8 9 1 1 19 Morpeth 1 3 2 6 North Shields 1 8 11 7 3 2 32 Prudhoe 1 1 1 3 Riverside & West 1 5 18 11 1 2 38 Sunderland Central 1 5 13 10 2 31 Sunderland East 5 8 2 2 2 120 Sunderland North 1 5 14 7 2 5 1 35 Sunderland South 5 3 1 9 Sunderland West 3 4 12 7 1 27 Wallsend 158734 28 Washington 2 3 4 4 3 16 Westerhope/Newburn 3 6 9 8 1 2 29 Whitley Bay 2 2 1 2 1 8 Total 68 161 272 164 77 47 6 795

7. Please can you give a breakdown for 2018 calendar year of knife crime offences by age of the suspects by individual neighbourhoods; please use the categories a) Under 18, b) 18-24, c) 25-34, d) 35-44, e) 45-54 and f) 55+

Suspect age group Under 18 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55+ Total Alnwick 1 1 2 Ashington 8 2 10 Bedlington 4 1 1 6 Benwell/Elswick 1 7 4 8 20 Berwick 1 3 2 6 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 1 1 1 3 Blyth 41323 13 Boldon & East Shields 3 1 1 5 Byker/Walker 3 6 11 6 3 1 30 Central 3 5 4 1 13 Cramlington 3 3 2 8 Fenham/Scotswood 2 1 2 2 7 Gateshead & Central Quays 4 6 4 1 1 16 Gateshead East & Felling 4 3 3 10 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 2 1 5 8 Gateshead South 3 1 4 Gateshead South & Birtley 2 1 3 Gateshead West & Blaydon 2 4 1 7 Gosforth/Great Park 7 2 9 Hebburn & Jarrow 3 1 5 4 1 14 Hexham 1 1 2 Houghton 1 4 4 9 1 19 Jesmond/Heaton 1 1 1 3 Killingworth 1 9 1 11 Morpeth 1 1 North Shields 2 3 4 1 10 Prudhoe 1 1 2 Riverside & West 1 5 6 2 14 Sunderland Central 1 4 2 2 1 10 Sunderland East 2 6 2 2 1 13 Sunderland North 7 12 1 3 23 Sunderland South 1 1 2 Sunderland West 1 4 4 5 2 16 Wallsend 3 1 1 1 6 Washington 1 4 3 8 Westerhope/Newburn 1 5 3 4 1 14 Whitley Bay 2 2 1 1 6 Total 33 69 125 83 35 9 354

8. Please can you give a breakdown for 2018 calendar year of knife crime offences by gender of the victims by individual neighbourhoods;

Victim gender Female Male Not Total Alnwick 3 1 4 Ashington 4 23 27 Bedlington 3 4 7 Benwell/Elswick 15 49 1 65 Berwick 1 6 7 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 3 9 12 Blyth 7 20 1 28 Boldon & East Shields 7 11 18 Byker/Walker 19 35 54 Central 10 43 53 Cramlington 3 11 14 Fenham/Scotswood 2 14 16 Gateshead & Central Quays 10 26 36 Gateshead East & Felling 5 14 19 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 4 13 17 Gateshead South 6 12 18 Gateshead South & Birtley 3 3 6 Gateshead West & Blaydon 3 16 19 Gosforth/Great Park 2 8 10 Hebburn & Jarrow 10 20 30 Hexham 2 1 3 Houghton 5 15 20 Jesmond/Heaton 1 10 11 Killingworth 6 13 19 Morpeth 1 5 6 North Shields 9 23 32 Prudhoe 2 1 3 Riverside & West 3 34 1 38 Sunderland Central 5 26 31 Sunderland East 9 11 20 Sunderland North 9 26 35 Sunderland South 3 6 9 Sunderland West 6 21 27 Wallsend 5 23 28 Washington 4 12 16 Westerhope/Newburn 5 23 1 29 Whitley Bay 4 4 8 Total 199 592 4 795

9. Please can you give a breakdown for 2018 calendar year of knife crime offences by gender of the suspects by individual neighbourhoods;

Suspect gender Male Female Total Alnwick 2 2 Ashington 8 2 10 Bedlington 3 3 6 Benwell/Elswick 19 1 20 Berwick 4 2 6 Blakelaw/Kenton/Fawdon 3 3 Blyth 11 2 13 Boldon & East Shields 5 5 Byker/Walker 21 9 30 Central 12 1 13 Cramlington 7 1 8 Fenham/Scotswood 6 1 7 Gateshead & Central Quays 13 3 16 Gateshead East & Felling 8 2 10 Gateshead Inn West & Whickham 8 8 Gateshead South 3 1 4 Gateshead South & Birtley 3 3 Gateshead West & Blaydon 4 3 7 Gosforth/Great Park 9 9 Hebburn & Jarrow 12 2 14 Hexham 2 2 Houghton 12 7 19 Jesmond/Heaton 3 3 Killingworth 10 1 11 Morpeth 1 1 North Shields 8 2 10 Prudhoe 2 2 Riverside & West 12 2 14 Sunderland Central 10 10 Sunderland East 11 2 13 Sunderland North 15 8 23 Sunderland South 2 2 Sunderland West 11 5 16 Wallsend 6 6 Washington 4 4 8 Westerhope/Newburn 12 2 14 Whitley Bay 5 1 6 Total 286 68 354

For the sake of this FOI, a knife offence is any a) attempted murder, b) threat to kill, c) assault with injury and assault with intent to cause serious harm, d) robbery and e) rape and sexual assault involving a knife or sharp instrument. This is the data compiled for the quarterly bulletin on knife offences by the Office of National Statistics.