Leeds stabbings: Knife bins installed over violent crime fear

A knife seized from a young person by staff at Chapeltown Youth Development Centre

Knife bins have been installed in two areas of Leeds in response to fears about violent crime among young people.

The weapon disposal bins have been placed in Harehills and Chapeltown following a number of serious and fatal stabbings in the city.

Leaders of Chapeltown and Harehills Churches Together unveiled the amnesty bins on Wednesday.

District Bishop Tony Parry said: "For me, one knife in the bin is potentially two lives that could be saved."

He said there was "huge concern" about knife crime in the city and added: "It's not a new thing, it's been going on for many, many years."

District Bishop Tony Parry unveiled the new weapons disposal bins in Harehills and Chapeltown

There have been a number of stabbings involving young people in Leeds in recent months, including the death of 18-year-old Jamie Meah, who was attacked in Armley, and 17-year-old Trust Junior Jordan Gangata, who was fatally stabbed at a party.

Lutel James, CEO of Chapeltown Youth Development Centre, said he hoped the bins would encourage more than 1,000 young people who use the venue each week to get rid of any weapons.

"At this moment in time, with the amount of murders and the amount of machete attacks and knife attacks we have had in the city, people are scared and people feel vulnerable," he said.

Mr James described how a parent had called the centre and asked staff to come to the house to confiscate a knife.

"It's great that the parent got in contact and that they wanted us to confiscate it. We are making a big thing about the young people but what about all the retailers that are selling these dangerous weapons?

"Who's going to hold them accountable?"

Lutel James, who runs Chapeltown Youth Development Centre, urged young people to use the knife bin

Det Ch Insp James Entwistle from West Yorkshire Police said data showed knife crime had fallen compared to the previous 12 months.

But he said: "I'm not going to shy away from the fact that we have had four murders in this city over the last couple of months, all of them linked to knife crime.

"It's right to feel like it's getting worse, the statistics don't say that, but one [stabbing] is too many."

Det Ch Insp James Entwistle said police had been carrying out more patrols and seizing weapons

He said police had been carrying out extra patrols, using stop and search powers to recover weapons and educating people about the risks of carrying a knife.

Officers have also worked to stop weapons being sold in the city.

Det Ch Insp Entwistle urged anyone with information about knife crime or with concerns to contact police.

Community leaders hope the knife bins will lead to a reduction in violent crime