There were more than three knife-related arrests every week in Swindon and Wiltshire between March and September last year, new data obtained by the Adver has revealed.

The data, obtained from Wiltshire Police via the Freedom of Information Act, shows that there were over 40 different types of crime recorded in the six-month period which involved a blade.

There were 31 arrests for having an article with a blade or point in a public place in both Swindon and Wiltshire separately, a total of 62

On top of this, there were six arrests in Swindon and four in Wiltshire for possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

The number of arrests for possession of an offensive weapon without lawful authority or reasonable excuse was nine in Swindon and only one in Wiltshire. 

All of these figures combined means there were over 80 arrests for possession, more than three per week in Swindon and Wiltshire over the six month period.

With a rise in knife crime and the recent sentencing of two teenagers for the murder of Owen Dunn, residents of Swindon have become increasingly worried.

On top of the issue of possession, there were also 19 arrests for wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm involving a knife in Swindon compared to 16 in Wiltshire.

The number of arrests for threats to kill in Swindon was 11 in Swindon and 10 in Wiltshire. There were also six arrests for threatening with a blade or sharply pointed article in a public place in the town and two in Wiltshire. 

As well as the data for possession and threats, there were more than four times the amount of knife-point robberies in Swindon than the rest of the county.

There were also 25 knife point robberies of a person in Swindon compared to six in Wiltshire from March to September of 2023.

A spokesperson for Owen’s World, a community interest company established to campaign against knife use in Swindon, said: “We’re concerned that the overall data for the county is high, and clearly shows the bulk of it is in Swindon.

“Knife crime in the town has risen so rapidly over the last two years and it’s a real concern for the community.

“Our advice to anyone carrying a knife would be to use the services available, we hold a safe space every Monday, and we are contactable on social media.

“Please talk to someone. Think of the consequences not just to you but others. "

Swindon hub commander Det Supt Guy Elkins said: “We know that knife crime is an issue which touches everyone across the Force area and requires a communal solution.

“Our role is to keep people safe, and to relentlessly pursue those individuals carrying and using weapons for their own gain, and putting others at risk.

“We also work with our partners in education, health, councils and departments like Trading Standards to ensure we have a collaborative and joined up approach in tackling the issue.

“Officers across the Wiltshire Police put in a huge amount of work to educate our young people on the dangers of carrying knives, how to report if someone they know is carrying a knife and how to respond if they are ever in a situation where someone has been stabbed.”