Town's knife crime nearly doubles

Knife crime in parts of Berkshire, including Reading, has nearly doubled.

Latest figures revealed the number of offences involving knives across in west Berkshire has jumped to 260 compared with 136 in 2004/5.

In the same period, only seven more knife offences were committed - from 214 to 221 - in the east of the county. The figure rose by 14 in Oxfordshire.

Police said education was important in tackling a change in culture which has made carrying knives "cool".

The pain of loss of my brother was devastating Lucy Davis

Overall, knife crime in the Thames Valley Police area rose from 883 offences in 2004/5 to 1,132 between 2006/7.

Insp John Fox, from Thames Valley Police, believes carrying knives has become "fashionable" in larger areas such as Reading and Milton Keynes - where knife crime more than doubled from 76 to 180.

"The education aspect is really important. We have done a lot of work with the Damilola Taylor Trust and that is really aiming to get the message across to people at schools and colleges - respect your life don't carry a knife," he said.

Mother-of-one Lucy Davis, from Reading, is well aware of the life-changing affect knife crime can have on family life.

Her 25-year-old brother Scott died in July 2001 after being stabbed nine times, including once in the heart, during a fight in The Oracle shopping centre, Reading.

Kevin Artimion Alvardo, 18, who pleaded guilty to his murder, was given a life sentence.

Police say knives are now fashion items

"I am reliving it every time I hear about other stabbings. I am reliving feelings and the pain of loss of my brother which was devastating.

"I feel that nobody has respect for other people, they feel that life owes them something and go out with no care with a knife in their pocket and if they have to use they will use it."

Andrew Blythe, a senior doctor in the Royal Berkshire Hospital's accident and emergency unit, said: "We have seen a noticeable increase over the last four or five years but it is not an epidemic.

"We may see one or two a month, sometimes more, whereas we used to go two or three months without any.

"For the most part they have been young patients."