'We’ll defend each other until death' say teenagers who carry knives
A group of youngsters who carry knives in Gloucester say they will “defend each other until death” if that is what it takes to stay safe.
The group, who deny they are in a gang, admit they carry and hide weapons in public.
They insist this is for their own protection but say they also live in fear of leaving their homes and are unable to travel into certain parts of the city.
During the murder trial of Max Dixon and Mason Wrist, the court heard about ongoing rivalries and divisions between neighbouring areas of the city. But this is an issue not just confined to Bristol.
In Gloucester, ITV News met teenagers who shared their experiences of postcode rivalries and invisible lines which mark out different territories.
One of the boys said: “Stuff happens if you’re in the wrong area and people don’t want you there. You just got to stay in your own area. We’re not going to go to someone else's place because that’s asking for trouble - if they come here, they’re asking for trouble.”
Under the cover of darkness, one of the group retrieves a knife from a nearby hiding spot. He refuses to confirm who it belongs to but adds there are “loads” in the surrounding area.
This is a relatively small knife, he says, but he knows other people who carry “swords”.
He said: “People have bigger ones than me, I’m not trying to kill someone, I'm protecting myself. I know how to use one. So it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day if you’re gonna use one on me, I’m definitely gonna use my little one on you. I don’t care. You can have like a sword. People have but you just gotta deal with it.”
Speaking to us the group are on edge and say they are constantly wary of being seen “lackin’” which is slang for being caught without a knife.
One mother whose son regularly carries a knife tells us how she feels helpless to improve the situation. The only solution she feels is to leave the area entirely.
She said: “Just under a year ago I found out my son was carrying a knife. I’d never dreamt that in a million years.
"He got tangled up in a couple of occasions with people who did carry knives and it just went from there. He had to carry a knife to make himself feel safe and then it became totally out of control. It’s got to the point where he can’t leave the house anymore because it just isn’t safe.”
Campaigners and youth workers in the region say they believe knife crime is getting worse and the data backs this up.
While there has been a national decrease in knife offences since pre-pandemic levels, across the South West this has risen by 14% since 2020.
Delroy Ellis, from Increase the Peace said: “Increasingly young people think it’s okay to carry knives.
"I’ve seen an increase in young men who want to be involved in gangs, who are disenfranchised and have no hope. That’s worrying because a lot of these young kids have an opportunity to be great, but there’s just not enough intervention in this city.”
The future for the youngsters we have met appears uncertain and perilous, with no obvious solution in sight.
In a statement, Gloucestershire Police said it understands people's concerns around knife crime but moved to reassure people that Gloucestershire still remains as one of the safest counties to live in.
A police spokesperson said: "This is a societal issue taking place across the country and not something that police can solve alone. That’s why we’re addressing it locally with agencies and partnerships such as Safer Gloucestershire.
"Our work has included initiatives with reformed knife crime offenders and courts to take the message to vulnerable children, and work with charities to divert those involved into more positive activities.
“We also take part in the national knife campaign of Operation Sceptre, which includes sweeps of parks by officers and a knife amnesty with bins available at a number of our police stations for anyone to hand in bladed weapons.
"We provide support for those who may be a victim of crime or could commit crimes and are working hard from an enforcement perspective so that we can bring serious offenders to justice.
“We would ask parents to speak to us if they have any concerns. We are here to help and can guide them towards the appropriate support for both them and their children.
“Anybody with information is urged to come forward and let us know, no matter how small or insignificant they believe it to be. This is not something we can tackle alone, it is a partnership effort, and the more we are told, the more we can do.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with issues raised in this article, there is non-judgemental support and advice available from a number of charities.
Increase the Peace - Delroy Ellis' charity supporting young people to make 'positive choices'
Key4Life - Bristol-based charity working with under 18s to tackle anti-social behaviour and knife crime
Resolve West - South West charity supporting those involved in anti-social behaviour, street conflict or gang crime, and also for those people who have been harmed by crime
Victim Support - Avon and Somerset - Independent charity supporting victims of crime