'Why are we shocked at knife crime? It's rampant' Peter Bleksley on lawless Britain | The Daily T

Key Concepts

• Knife Crime Statistics vs. Public Perception: Discrepancy between official statistics showing a decrease in knife crime and the public's feeling of increasing lawlessness.
• Underreporting of Crime: A significant issue where victims do not report incidents, leading to inaccurate crime statistics.
• Public Fear and Safety: Widespread concern about personal safety, particularly in public spaces like trains and town centers, exacerbated by high-profile incidents.
• Criminal Justice System Failures: Criticisms of the police, Crown Prosecution Service, courts, and probation service for being understaffed, underfunded, and inefficient.
• Prison System Issues: Problems within prisons including experienced officers leaving, gangs running facilities, riots, and the rise of extremism.
• Early and Accidental Prison Releases: Concerns about prisoners being released prematurely or mistakenly, undermining public confidence.
• Technological Deficiencies: Lack of integrated IT systems, facial recognition, and CCTV across police forces and public services.
• Visible Policing: The importance of uniformed officers patrolling streets to reassure the public and gather intelligence.
• Role of the Public: The responsibility of citizens to report crime and the debate on how to safely intervene in dangerous situations.
• Dash Cams: The utility of dash cams for providing evidence in criminal incidents.

Knife Crime: Statistics vs. Lived Experience

The video transcript highlights a significant disconnect between official statistics on knife crime and the public's perception of safety. While statistics for England and Wales (excluding Greater Manchester) for the year ending March 2025 indicate a 1.4% decrease in offenses involving a sharp instrument compared to the previous year, and a 4.5% decrease compared to 2019-20, with approximately 49,600 such offenses recorded, the public feels a growing sense of lawlessness. This perception is amplified by high-profile incidents, such as the attack on a train, and the general feeling of insecurity in public spaces.

Peter Blexley, a former New Scotland Yard detective and policing expert, argues that these statistics are inherently limited because they only capture known offenses – those reported by victims or discovered by police. He emphasizes that there is "absolutely no comprehension of is how many people are carrying knives," suggesting this number is "huge." This underreporting is a critical factor, as many individuals, when asked about reporting crime, shrug and say, "What's the point?" This sentiment stems from a perceived lack of effective police response and the bureaucratic hurdles involved in reporting.

High-Profile Incidents and Public Fear

Several recent incidents are discussed as contributing to the public's fear:

• Huntingdon Train Attack: An attacker wielding a knife injured multiple people on a high-speed train. This incident, occurring in a seemingly secure environment after security checks, deeply shocked the public and reignited concerns about safety on public transport.
• Hillington Stabbing (Murder of Wayne Broadhurst): Safi Darwood, a 22-year-old Afghan national, was charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the death of Wayne Broadhurst, a bin man walking his dog. This case, widely reported, contributed to the feeling of rampant knife crime.
• Nottingham Attacks (Valdo Calakane): Valdo Calakane killed Barnaby Weber, Grace Ali Kumar, and Ian Coats, and injured others with a knife and a van. The transcript notes that Calakane had complex mental health issues and had "fallen through every state net." His father and brother had also reported concerns about him taking delivery of knives and wearing a mask, yet he was able to carry out the attacks. The availability of knives, purchased on platforms like Amazon, is questioned.

These incidents, coupled with the constant barrage of crime-related videos on social media, create a perception of widespread danger, even if the underlying crime rates have, according to some statistics, decreased.

The Problem of Underreporting and Misleading Statistics

Peter Blexley strongly criticizes the reliance on official statistics when a significant portion of crimes go unreported. He states, "Here's the best thing to deal to do with any knife crime statistics. ... They are only the offenses that we know about." He explains that the lack of reporting means that "the stats become clear. The police know just how dreadful things are on their patch and we get closer to the truth."

The interview highlights how this underreporting allows for misleading narratives, such as claims that "crime is going down." Blexley argues that if every victim reported every crime, the statistics would paint a different, more accurate picture of the "catastrophic state we're in."

The personal anecdote of a relative being robbed of their phone and renter bike by two masked individuals with a knife, and the subsequent decision not to report it due to lack of identifiable suspects and a desire to move on, exemplifies the reasons behind underreporting. Blexley labels such individuals as "vermin" and calls non-reporting a "dereliction of your civil duty."

Public Transport Safety Concerns

Statistics from the Office for Rail and Road reveal a record high in assaults on passengers on mainline rail in 2024, with 10,231 instances. This includes nearly 5,000 cases of harassment, nearly 4,000 of common assault, and over 1,500 of actual bodily harm, representing a 6.9% year-on-year increase. This data, though likely incomplete due to underreporting, aligns with the public's experience of increased crime on public transport, with many incidents occurring on platforms or within trains and buses.

The transcript questions the visibility and effectiveness of the British Transport Police (BTP), suggesting they are not a highly visible force. The discussion also touches upon the potential need to better protect transport workers like train guards and bus drivers, with the question of arming them with tasers or batons being raised, though Blexley expresses caution about arming security personnel, fearing a "more dangerous slope."

Failures in the Criminal Justice System

The discussion extends to the broader failures within the UK's criminal justice system, which is described as "woeful" and "not functioning like it should." This system is presented as interconnected:

• Policing: Facing challenges, shortfalls, and crises, with officers often diverted to non-policing tasks like guarding individuals in A&E or custody suites due to mental health crises or self-harm risks.
• Crown Prosecution Service (CPS): Described as understaffed, underfunded, and underperforming.
• Courts: Suffering from crumbling infrastructure, with courts sitting empty due to a lack of judges and significant backlogs exacerbated by barristers' strikes.
• Prisons: In a state of "flux," with experienced officers leaving, gangs controlling facilities, riots, and the rise of Islamic extremism.
• Probation Service: Inefficiently handling only about a quarter of its cases, failing to adequately supervise released prisoners.

The transcript questions whether these issues are solely due to cuts post-Theresa May or if bad management and systemic inefficiencies are also to blame. The reliance on "paper systems" in the prison service is highlighted as a major contributor to errors and things "slipping through the cracks."

Technological Deficiencies and the Need for Integration

A significant point of criticism is the lack of integrated technology across the criminal justice system. Blexley argues for:

• A proper crime reporting system: Joined up across all UK forces, allowing for seamless information sharing.
• Facial recognition technology: Capable of being uploaded and shared nationally, as criminals operate across boundaries.
• Linked CCTV systems: Across the country to provide comprehensive surveillance.

The current situation is described as "none of it is joined up. None of it works properly. None of it is fit for purpose." The transcript suggests that policing has been hampered by IT companies providing inadequate systems, leading to duplication and slow performance. The analogy of putting a man on the moon over 50 years ago is used to highlight the perceived failure to implement basic technological solutions for crime reporting and surveillance.

The Role of Leadership and Public Service

The discussion emphasizes the need for better leadership in policing and the prison service, advocating for "leadership, not management." Chief constables are urged to be "coppers first and academics second." The transcript criticizes the current state of public services, where individuals are "earning very big salaries" but delivering "ineffectiveness." There's a call for public services to focus on their "core job properly" rather than "window dressing" like diversity initiatives, emphasizing competence and commitment over personal characteristics.

The transcript also touches on the issue of "non-crime hate incidents," with a welcome announcement from the Met Commissioner that these will no longer be investigated, and a call for all chief constables to echo this stance. The desire is for policing to revert to its core function of "locking up bad people" and investigating crime, rather than acting as a "pseudo social work" service.

Recommendations for Improvement

Several recommendations are put forward:

• Visible Policing: Increased visible police patrols on streets, railways, and transport routes to reassure the public and gather intelligence.
• Task Forces for Mental Health: Dispensing with police involvement in guarding individuals in mental health crises or custody suites, suggesting a dedicated task force for the mentally ill.
• Technology Integration: Implementing joined-up IT systems, facial recognition, and CCTV networks across the country.
• Eradication of Paperwork: Moving away from paper-based systems in the prison service towards AI and integrated IT.
• Improved Leadership: Promoting leaders with practical experience and a focus on operational effectiveness.
• Public Reporting: Encouraging the public to report all crimes, emphasizing its importance for accurate statistics and police awareness.
• Personal Safety: Advising the public to prioritize safety in dangerous situations, such as handing over valuables if threatened with a knife, and to call emergency services (999 or text 61016 on transport).
• Dash Cams: Recommending the installation of front and rear dash cams for evidence collection.

Conclusion: A Call for Action and Public Engagement

The transcript concludes with a stark assessment of the current state of law and order in Britain, driven by a combination of systemic failures, underreporting of crime, and a public perception of escalating danger. While official statistics may suggest otherwise, the lived experiences of citizens, amplified by high-profile incidents and the pervasive influence of social media, point to a significant erosion of safety. The discussion underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the criminal justice system, a renewed focus on visible and effective policing, and a greater sense of civic responsibility from the public in reporting crime. The overarching message is that while the challenges are immense, a return to core policing principles, coupled with technological advancements and strong leadership, is essential to restoring public confidence and ensuring safety.