Incidents of knife crime involving young people—and shockingly, even very young children—are making headlines across England and Wales, as a series of harrowing cases and new police data reveal the growing scale and complexity of the problem. From primary school playgrounds to city centers, the threat posed by bladed weapons is forcing schools, police, and communities to confront difficult questions about safety, prevention, and the root causes of violence among youth.
According to a recent BBC investigation published on October 9, 2025, police in Kent recorded an assault involving a four-year-old pupil with a knife, classified as "assault with injury - malicious wounding." In another incident, West Midlands Police reported that a six-year-old brought a flick knife into class and threatened to kill another pupil, telling staff, "I have a plan... I am going to kill [name of pupil]." Staff seized the knife after the child initially denied having it. Other disturbing cases included a five-year-old bringing a 10-inch kitchen knife to school "to show his friends," a six-year-old arriving with a meat cleaver, and a five-year-old in Chester with a kitchen knife.
The BBC's Freedom of Information request found that in 2024 alone, there were 1,304 offences involving knives or sharp objects at schools and sixth form colleges in England and Wales. At least 10% of these were committed by primary-school-aged children, with almost 80% of all offences carried out by boys, the vast majority of whom were teenagers. The types of knives found ranged from machetes and pen knives to butterfly knives, flick knives, and even swords.
The data also revealed a troubling trend: while the total number of knife incidents in 2024 was slightly down compared to the previous year, the number of more serious offences—such as violence rather than mere possession—has increased. This escalation in severity has prompted some schools to take drastic action. The Dudley Academies Trust in the West Midlands, for example, is installing permanent metal-detecting "knife arches" in all four of its secondary schools, citing the high rate of knife crime in their area.
Beacon Hill Academy in Dudley recently unveiled its own knife arch. The BBC observed its first use, and students expressed mixed feelings. Sixteen-year-old Evie said, "You think about what it's there for and what children do bring to school, and you never know." Thirteen-year-old Archie added, "You've got to keep in mind it was put in for a safety thing. So, it's kind of scary on the one hand, but at the same time reassuring." Headteacher Sukhjot Dhami explained, "whatever it takes to keep young people safe."
The rise in security measures is mirrored by a spike in sales of metal detectors to schools. Byron Logue, managing director of Interconnective Security Products, told the BBC, "Schools are our biggest customers." His company sold 35 knife arches to schools between March 2024 and March 2025—three times more than the previous year—and over 100 knife wands in the same period. "I think we've reached a stage now where we can acknowledge that there is a problem nationally in the country with regards to knife crime, particularly amongst the youth," Logue said.
For some families, the consequences of knife crime have been devastating. Caroline Willgoose, whose 15-year-old son Harvey was murdered by a fellow pupil with a hunting knife at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield in February 2025, is calling on the government to fund metal detectors for all UK schools and colleges. "Kids are going to school frightened," she said. "We need to get into schools and educate kids of the seriousness and the pure devastation that carrying knives can bring." Harvey, who was stabbed twice in the chest, had confided in his mother that he was afraid to go to school because he knew some children were carrying knives. Many pupils and staff who witnessed the attack are still receiving trauma counselling.
Police in West Yorkshire have also been dealing with high-profile cases. On October 9, 2025, a man in his 30s was arrested outside Bradford College on Great Horton Road after two people were injured with a weapon. College security staff detained the suspect before police arrived. He was arrested on suspicion of assaulting two members of the public and two emergency workers, a racially-aggravated public order offence, and causing damage to a police vehicle. The two injured were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and a small gardening tool was seized at the scene. Police have increased patrols in the area, and a scene remains in place on Great Horton Road.
In another tragic case, Alfie Franco, aged 20, was convicted on October 9, 2025, for the murder of Ahmad Mamdouh al Ibrahim, 16, in Huddersfield town centre on April 3, 2025. Ahmad, who had fled war-torn Syria just two weeks earlier, was stabbed 6cm through the throat after briefly brushing past Franco's then-girlfriend. Franco initially lied to police, claiming the knife was for "sentimental reasons," but later admitted in court, "Yes... I didn't want to do that to anyone. I wish I could take it back but I can't." The jury took just over three hours to convict him. Chief Superintendent Jim Griffiths of Kirklees Police noted, "Violent offending involving knives in Kirklees has continued to fall, with a 12 per cent reduction in knife-related violence against the person offences between August 2024 and August 2025," but acknowledged the "shocking and motiveless murder of Ahmad" had caused deep concern.
Efforts to combat knife crime are ongoing. The government has declared a "mission to halve knife crime" and says schools have the power to implement security measures, including knife arches, where necessary. The Home Office is addressing root causes through its Young Futures programme and has backed "Ronan's Law," which enforces stricter rules for online sellers of knives and came into effect in August 2025.
Yet, some argue that more must be done beyond security. Pepe Di'lasio, general secretary of the Association of Schools and College Leaders, said, "More than a decade of cuts to community policing and youth outreach programmes has meant school leaders, too often, find themselves with little or no support." In Sheffield, gym owner Trevor Chrouch is working directly with teenagers, offering free self-defence classes and mentoring in hopes of steering them away from violence. Three teenagers there admitted to carrying knives to school for protection. One, aged 15, said he carried a 12-inch knife after receiving a death threat. Another, 18, began carrying a knife after being attacked. "You just got to take your precautions. Nowhere's safe really," one explained. When asked what would have stopped them, a 19-year-old replied, "Learning how to defend ourselves. You don't get taught that in schools. They only teach you science, not how to live life and how to handle your emotions better."
As schools, police, and communities grapple with the reality of knife crime, the debate continues over how best to protect children and prevent future tragedies. The stories behind the statistics make clear that the challenge is urgent, complex, and deeply human.
