In the past three years, over 100 incidents involving children bringing knives into South Yorkshire schools have been officially documented, based on police statistics. Data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act displays that merely three percent of these cases led to charges or court summonses being issued. South Yorkshire Police declared they maintain a firm stance against individuals discovered carrying weapons. These statistics emerged shortly following the tragic stabbing of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose at a Sheffield educational institution on February 3rd. The grieving parents of the teenager, whose funeral took place last Friday, are advocating for the implementation of metal detectors in secondary schools as a measure to address this concerning issue. The revealed figures, provided to the Local Democracy Reporting Service in response to a Freedom of Information request, illustrated that authorities were informed of 103 instances involving knives being brought into schools across the region between 2022 and 2024. Among these cases, 37 occurred in Sheffield, 30 in Doncaster, 22 in Rotherham, and 14 in Barnsley. Nonetheless, only three children faced charges or court summons, seven received youth cautions, and 12 were issued youth conditional cautions. In three occasions, prosecution was halted due to the suspects being under the age of 10 – the designated age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. In an additional 15 cases, “evidential difficulties” led to the suspension of legal proceedings. Victims withdrew their support for police intervention in 27 instances, while 16 cases were handled by partner agencies, and five were abandoned due to concerns regarding the public interest in prosecution. Moreover, 10 incidents were addressed through educational interventions, and two cases were resolved through community resolutions. Superintendent David Cowley of South Yorkshire Police emphasized, “We are fully committed to combating knife-related crimes in South Yorkshire and adopt a strong stance in response to incidents involving individuals carrying a weapon.” Recognizing the detrimental impact on local communities, law enforcement agencies are determined to collaborate with partners, including local authorities and the South Yorkshire violence reduction unit, employing an evidence-based strategy to prevent and diminish knife-related offenses. Harvey’s parents, Mark and Caroline Willgoose, recently engaged with South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and senior officials from Sheffield Council to explore strategies for addressing knife crimes in educational settings. The couple expressed their desire for the implementation of knife arches, akin to those used in courts and airports, to safeguard children within schools. A 15-year-old charged with Harvey’s murder is scheduled to face trial starting June 30th. Stay tuned for updates on South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North, or share a story you believe warrants our coverage here.
