County firearms incidents halved

A murder trial is under way after the shooting of teenager Jonathan Matondo

Firearms incidents involving young people in South Yorkshire have more than halved in six months.

Police say the reduction follows several visits to secondary schools throughout 2007 and 2008.

Specialist armed officers gave presentations to thousands of school pupils about the dangerous consequences of carrying guns and other weapons.

Officers are pleased with the reduction and now aim to visit all 87 secondary schools in the county this year.

Shot dead

The number of incidents involving young people and guns between March and August in 2007 decreased by 55%, or 269 incidents, compared to the figures for March to August 2006.

Traditionally, July is a busy period for youth-related firearms incidents because of the run-up to the school holidays, police said.

Pc Simon Harrison, who has been involved with the schools scheme, said: "We couldn't be happier with the success of the scheme. The figures speak for themselves."

The school presentations involve getting the pupils to tell the difference between real and fake weapons, a real time scenario involving volunteers from the audience and a film from the family of Rhys Jones, the 11-year old boy shot dead in August 2007 in Liverpool.

Teenager Jonathan Matondo also died when he was shot in the head in the Pitsmoor area of Sheffield on 17 October last year.

Negus Nelson is currently standing trial charged with the teenager's murder.