Number of knife crimes dropping

The latest crime figures

Metropolitan Police figures show the number of knife crimes and violent deaths in London is falling, despite the recent spate of fatal stabbings.

The statistics showed there were 9,997 reports of knife crime between July 2007 and June 2008, compared with 11,642 the year before.

The figures showed that gun crime had fallen by about the same amount (14%) and youth violence was down by 7.7%.

London's killing rate also dropped by 21 to 154 in the last 12 months.

Month-by-month information showed 26 people died violently in London in June 2007, compared to 14 this year.

Last week an 18-year-old became the 21st teenager to die in violent circumstances in London this year.