KNIFE crime in Barnsley has gone up by half and a major campaign is now underway with a bin set up at Barnsley police station so people can hand them in.
South Yorkshire Police says there has been an increase of knife crime across the region with reported incidents in Barnsley rising to 156 in 2016/17, up from 103 the previous year. Offenders are also getting younger, with some aged just 13.
Det Supt Una Jennings, the lead for armed criminality, said the consequences of carrying a knife or blade can only ever lead to a devastating and destructive impact on lives, and a major lever in dealing with the issue is getting into schools and talking to young people before they think about carrying a knife or bladed weapon.
The police said anyone caught in possession of a knife runs the risk of four years in prison, while those who use a knife and fatally injure someone will be handed a life sentence behind bars - or end up being the one hurt.
Read more in this weeks Barnsley Chronicle
