Makeshift shrines honour victims of British knife crime

Makeshift shrines honour victims of British knife crime

London, United Kingdom Photography by Reporting by
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A cluster of flowers and candles marks the spot where Jodie Chesney, 17, was stabbed in a park in east London in an attack with no obvious motive.

In honour of her favourite colour, purple ribbons have been tied to a railing, alongside a message also written in purple: "Choose life, drop the knife! RIP Jodie."

Jodie's memorial is one of dozens to be found on roadsides, parks and outside victims' homes as Britain struggles to tackle a surge in knife crime.

. Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
Graffiti is seen on a fence of an industrial unit near to where 18-year-old Hazrat Umar was killed in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham. Umar was stabbed 15 times in an unprovoked attack on February 25 on the way to the gym. Adam Muhammad, 17, a student at the same college as Umar, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In the year to March, knife crime offences rose 8% to a record high of around 44,000. London still has the most stabbings overall, but in some parts of Wales, North Yorkshire and East Anglia, the rate soared by over 25 percent compared to a year earlier.

The number of fatal stabbings rose to 285 in England and Wales in 2018, the highest level since records began more than 70 years ago.

Campaigners blame cuts to police, youth and mental health services. Often the perpetrators and victims are in still in their teens.

. Hale Barns, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
Floral tributes and photographs are left at the spot Yousef Makki was stabbed to death.

Yousef Makki, 17, was stabbed to death in Hale Barns, a village in Greater Manchester, in March this year. Earlier this month, another boy, also 17, was cleared of his murder. Makki's family have protested against the verdict.

At the spot where Makki was stabbed along a residential road, people have left flowers and photos taped to a tree trunk.

. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
Floral tributes are left near to where Joshua White was stabbed to death.

More flowers and balloons mark the place outside a block of flats in London's Hackney area where Joshua White, 29, was stabbed through the heart in broad daylight in April. Two teenagers have been charged with his murder, and police are attempting to extradite an 18-year-old from Ireland in relation to the attack.

Jodie Chesney's father Peter is seeking to create a more permanent tribute to his daughter and is setting up the Jodie Chesney Foundation, a charity aimed at tackling knife crime.

"The whole idea is to turn something so bad into something good, and do what we can to help with the knife crime problem by educating people, trying to spread the word and change the culture," he told Reuters.

Two men and two boys have been charged with her murder, which all four deny. The trial is due to start in September.

. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
Floral tributes are tied to a pedestrian crossing near to where 40-year-old Gavin Garraway was stabbed to death in the Clapham area of London. Garroway was stabbed through the window of his car on March 29. Zion Chiata, 18, has been charged with his murder.

Patrick Green is chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity named after a schoolboy who was fatally stabbed in Islington, London, in 2008.

He said that the surge in offences committed with knives could lead to even more fatal incidents and showed that extra funding and measures taken to address root causes would take time to take effect.

"We just haven't got a handle on this. For the sake of a quarter of an inch, in terms of a wound, that's the difference between survival and death," Green told Reuters.

. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
Flowers and toys are left at the scene where 19-year-old Lejean Richards was stabbed to death in the Battersea area of London on February 5. Roy Reyes-Nieves, 23, and Roger Reyes-Nieves, 18, have been charges with his murder.

Britain has allocated 35 million pounds ($43.54 million) to police for violence reduction units, and new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised more. The force has suffered big staffing and funding squeezes under austerity measures by the last two Conservative-led governments.

Former PM Theresa May in March dismissed claims that an increase in police numbers would help solve knife crime. But Britain's most senior police officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, said there was a link.

The debate around the causes of knife crime often revolves around gang violence, but many of the victims are women attacked by men who know them.

. Rochdale, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
A row of houses where 33-year-old Charlotte Huggins was stabbed to death.

Charlotte Huggins was the first stabbing victim of 2019, stabbed in the back at her home in south London, in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Her ex-boyfriend Michael Rolle was found guilty of her murder and jailed for life. He stabbed Huggins after she celebrated New Year's eve with a male friend.

"This was a shocking display of violence borne out of jealousy and which resulted in a tragic murder," Catherine Gould of the Crown Prosecution Service's London Homicide unit said.

. Rochdale, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
A police cordon near to where Kelly-Mary Fauvrelle and her unborn baby where stabbed to death.

In another case, Kelly Mary Fauvrelle, 26, was fatally stabbed while eight months pregnant. Her baby boy, Riley, was delivered but also died four days later.

Ex-partner Aaron McKenzie has been charged with her murder and causing the death of the baby.

. Rochdale, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble
Floral tributes and teddy bears are seen outside a house where Fauvrelle and her unborn baby where stabbed.

Outside the house where she was stabbed in Croydon, London, a pile of teddy bears and flowers had been left while the police cordon was still in place.

"Two beautiful lives have been taken tragically," read one message. "Condolences. Rest in perfect peace."

Photo editing by Marika Kochiashvili, Text Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky

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Slideshow

A police officer stands outside a row of terraced houses where 33-year-old nurse Saima Riaz was stabbed to death in Rochdale on April 23. Mohammed Abid Choudhry, 36, has been charged with her murder.
. Rochdale, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

A police officer stands outside a row of terraced houses where 33-year-old nurse Saima Riaz was stabbed to death in Rochdale on April 23. Mohammed Abid Choudhry, 36, has been charged with her murder.

Floral tributes are left near to where 24-year-old Joe O'Brien died after being stabbed in a fight outside the Royal Oak pub in Manchester on April 21. Momodou Jallow, 21, has been charged with his murder.
. Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes are left near to where 24-year-old Joe O'Brien died after being stabbed in a fight outside the Royal Oak pub in Manchester on April 21. Momodou Jallow, 21, has been charged with his murder.

Floral tributes are left at the spot where 18-year-old Cheyon Evans was stabbed to death, in the Wandsworth area of London on June 14. Evans died from a stab wound to the chest after being attacked by a group of youths in broad daylight. Three males aged 18, 18 and 17 have been charged with his murder.
. Rochdale, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes are left at the spot where 18-year-old Cheyon Evans was stabbed to death, in the Wandsworth area of London on June 14. Evans died from a stab wound to the chest after being attacked by a group of youths in broad daylight. Three males aged 18, 18 and 17 have been charged with his murder.

Washing hangs from the balcony of a flat near to where 15-year-old Tashaun Aird was stabbed to death in the Hackney area of London after an altercation with a group of youths on the evening of May 1. Four teenagers aged 15, 15, 16 and 18 have been charged in connection with his murder.
. Rochdale, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Washing hangs from the balcony of a flat near to where 15-year-old Tashaun Aird was stabbed to death in the Hackney area of London after an altercation with a group of youths on the evening of May 1. Four teenagers aged 15, 15, 16 and 18 have been charged in connection with his murder.

Floral tributes and bottles of alcohol are seen outside the house where 20-year-old Tyrelle Burke was stabbed to death on April 5 outside his home by a friend following a night out, in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester. Denver Walton, 18, was charged with his murder.
. Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes and bottles of alcohol are seen outside the house where 20-year-old Tyrelle Burke was stabbed to death on April 5 outside his home by a friend following a night out, in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester. Denver Walton, 18, was charged with his murder.

The remains of candles and tributes are seen near to where 19-year-old Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck was stabbed to death on February 22 in the Wood Green area of London. Gabbidon-Lynck was stabbed by a gang on bicycles in an incident which left another man suffering from knife and gunshot wounds. Three men aged 18, 19 and 20 have been charged with murder, attempted murder and robbery.
. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

The remains of candles and tributes are seen near to where 19-year-old Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck was stabbed to death on February 22 in the Wood Green area of London. Gabbidon-Lynck was stabbed by a gang on bicycles in an incident which left another man suffering from knife and gunshot wounds. Three men aged 18, 19 and 20 have been charged with murder, attempted murder and robbery.

Floral tributes are seen outside a block of flats where 26-year-old David Martinez-Valencia was stabbed to death, in the Leyton area of London on March 6. Carlos Rueda Velez, 18, has been charged with his murder.
. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes are seen outside a block of flats where 26-year-old David Martinez-Valencia was stabbed to death, in the Leyton area of London on March 6. Carlos Rueda Velez, 18, has been charged with his murder.

Flowers are tied to an entrance of Sara Park near to where 16-year-old Abdullah Muhammad was killed in the Small Heath area of Birmingham after suffering stab wounds to the chest and back in the evening of February 20. Three males aged 17, 19 and 20 have been charged in connection with his murder.
. Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Flowers are tied to an entrance of Sara Park near to where 16-year-old Abdullah Muhammad was killed in the Small Heath area of Birmingham after suffering stab wounds to the chest and back in the evening of February 20. Three males aged 17, 19 and 20 have been charged in connection with his murder.

Flowers are seen near to where 29-year-old Nathaniel Armstrong was stabbed to death in the Fulham area of London during an altercation on March 16. Murder charges against a 29-year-old male where dropped after prosecutors said there was no realistic prospect of conviction.
. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Flowers are seen near to where 29-year-old Nathaniel Armstrong was stabbed to death in the Fulham area of London during an altercation on March 16. Murder charges against a 29-year-old male where dropped after prosecutors said there was no realistic prospect of conviction.

General view of Lanfrey Place where 17-year-old Ayub Hassan died after suffering multiple stab wounds in the street on March 7 in the West Kensington area of London. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.
. London, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

General view of Lanfrey Place where 17-year-old Ayub Hassan died after suffering multiple stab wounds in the street on March 7 in the West Kensington area of London. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.

Floral tributes are left near to where 21-year-old Lewis Bagshaw was stabbed to death, in the Southey area of Sheffield. Bagshaw collapsed and died on July 21 after seeking help from residents of Piper Crescent after suffering stab wounds. Police investigations into his death are ongoing.
. Sheffield, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes are left near to where 21-year-old Lewis Bagshaw was stabbed to death, in the Southey area of Sheffield. Bagshaw collapsed and died on July 21 after seeking help from residents of Piper Crescent after suffering stab wounds. Police investigations into his death are ongoing.

Floral tributes are tied to a fence where 21-year-old James Halewood was stabbed to death, in the Kirkby area of Liverpool in broad daylight outside a parade of shops on July 7. Two men, aged 26 and 23, have been arrested in connection with his death.
. Kirkby, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes are tied to a fence where 21-year-old James Halewood was stabbed to death, in the Kirkby area of Liverpool in broad daylight outside a parade of shops on July 7. Two men, aged 26 and 23, have been arrested in connection with his death.

Floral tributes and packets of crisps and a chocolate bar are tied to a fence where 21-year-old James Halewood was stabbed to death.
. Kirkby, UNITED KINGDOM. Reuters/Phil Noble

Floral tributes and packets of crisps and a chocolate bar are tied to a fence where 21-year-old James Halewood was stabbed to death.

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