Knife Crime: Two investigations into Bristol stabbings result in convictions

Four men have been convicted following two separate investigations into stabbings in Bristol.

On Monday 31 January, Kaya Carr, 19, and Jaheim Mullings, 19, both of Knowle, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court following the stabbing of a teenage victim at Patco Wines, Wells Road, Totterdown on 18 April last year.

Both pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and were each sentenced to 4 years imprisonment.

Mullings was sentenced to an additional three months in jail for committing the offence whilst on a community order for a previous conviction.

On Friday February 11, Jerome Edwards, 20, of Broadfield Road in Knowle, and a further male who cannot be named due to his age were sentenced in connection with the stabbing of two teenage males in Toronto Avenue, Horfield on 16 August 2020.

The court heard how the victims sustained serious injuries during the attack, described as being pre-meditated and motivated by revenge after one of the victims had been declared ‘disrespectful’.

After both pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, Edwards was jailed for five years while the younger defendant was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ detention. His sentence will run consecutively with a two year detention he was given in November last year after he was found guilty of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

In both cases, the victims declined to provide statements meaning ‘victimless’ prosecutions were sought by police.

Detective Sgt Nicholas Lawson said: “In both of these cases, the victims were extremely lucky to avoid fatal or life changing injuries.

“Together with agency partners, we are working hard to address the causes of youth violence and trying to engage with young people to help them understand the devastating consequences carrying and using knives can have.

“For a number of reasons, victims do not always wish to engage in investigations and this presents obvious investigative challenges. Despite this, we will always take positive action to identify and prosecute those involved in knife crime in order to prevent similar incidents and for the wider protection of the public.”

Knife Crime: A new way forward

Avon and Somerset Police have developed a number of youth diversion and intervention schemes which help to educate young people on the dangers of knife crime.

Through the Violence Reduction Units and Early Intervention Teams, Avon and Somerset Police are working towards every school in the force area having a dedicated school link officer who works alongside the school to build relationships with young people, help to diffuse situations before they escalate, and educate young people on range of issues which affect them.

The Blunt Truth workshop, a collaboration between Avon and Somerset Police, the NHS and other partners, is currently being delivered in secondary schools in Bristol, and helps students to understand the social and health implications of knife crime. The sessions encourage pupils to report someone who is carrying a knife and provide a hands on, first aid session delivered by A&E doctors, which shows how to keep someone who has been stabbed alive whilst waiting for an ambulance. It’s hoped that the workshops will be rolled out to more schools in Avon and Somerset over the next year.

The Blunt Truth workshops complement the work that Avon and Somerset Police carried out in 2020 with ‘Knife crime: A new way forward’, a campaign which engaged young people in efforts to reduce knife crime. The project saw pupils aged 13-15 from four schools based in Weston-super-Mare, Bristol and Taunton, create short, original animations about the issues they see as driving knife crime. One of the pupils involved in the animation project also created a documentary, which explored the themes arising from the project’s workshops in more depth.

For more information about Knife crime: A new way forward, Avon and Somerset Police’s approach to tackling knife crime and serious violence, as well as locations of knife surrender bins and details of support services visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/knifecrime