FoI probe reveals reluctance of YOTs to use weapons detectors

The use of a weapons detection system at a weapons awareness course where a young man was stabbed to death by another attendee would have “in all likelihood, eliminated the possibility” of the tragedy occurring, says an independent review into the death of Hakim Sillah, aged 18, in Hillingdon, north London (see below).

Hakim, who was fatally stabbed by a 17-year-old male, just weeks after his 18th birthday, was one of 78 victims of homicide by a sharp instrument in 2019/20 aged 18 to 24, according to most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics.

In addition, the statistics show that 3,513 10- to 17-year-olds received a sentence for a knife or offensive weapons offence in 2020/21. A lower number of convictions than the previous year when 4,423 sentences were handed out, a fall likely due to the impact of the pandemic.

Hakim’s death has raised questions among local authorities over the need to search young people attending meetings at premises used by youth justice services (YJS) for weapons.

However, despite a 10 per cent rise in youth homicides using a knife or sharp instrument between 2015/16 and 2019/20, just under a third of councils are using weapons detection systems such as knife arches and knife wands.

The figure comes from a freedom of information (FoI) request sent by CYP Now to all 152 local authorities and bodies responsible for running youth justice services, to which 108 local authorities responded.

Static detection systems

Of the 108 local authorities which responded to the FoI request, 31 are using weapons detection systems in the form of a knife wand or knife arch.

Just 12 per cent are using static detection systems, known as knife arches, which cost around £4,000 to install. Half of these are in buildings where such systems were already installed for general use such as police stations and courts.

London councils are most likely to have knife arches installed in non-court or police buildings used by its YJS, perhaps as a result of higher levels of knife crime in the capital.

Hillingdon Council installed a knife arch at Hillingdon Civic Centre following Hakim’s murder at the location.

According to the review, written by former chief executive of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) John Drew, the installation had been discussed by YJS staff prior to the killing but no consensus was reached due to a “fairly even” split between staff supporting and opposing the decision (see Analysis).

Since the installation of the arch, which Drew describes as “a sensible response to regain the confidence of children and parents, as well as of the staff working at the YJS”, the service has not seen a reduction in visitors to the Civic Centre, which had been a key concern of some YJS staff, the report states.

Other London boroughs to introduce measures include Hounslow, which has installed a knife arch at Cranford Community College, while Rowan House probation and contact centre in Waltham Forest also has a static weapons detection system.

Ealing Council, in west London, says it has a knife arch in place at its Westside youth centre but adds that “it is not fully operational at present”.

Mobile detection systems

Mobile weapons detection systems, known as knife wands, or in the form of “pop-up” knife arches, are available to YJS staff at 18 per cent of local authorities, although not routinely used. Wands cost around £100.

Sutton Council, in Surrey, says it has just one knife wand which is “never used”. Peterborough City Council says police officers seconded to the youth justice service use knife wands “in exceptional circumstances”, while Barking and Dagenham Council uses a pop-up knife arch run by police officers “on an ad-hoc” basis.

Barnet Council, in north London, and Bradford Council are among a handful of local authorities using a knife wand to search all young people attending youth offending service and other statutory meetings.

Other local authorities, including Darlington, say mobile weapons detection systems are used on a “risk-assessed basis” by seconded police officers “based on the completion of the national assessment framework”. This refers to the YJB’s Asset Plus case management guidance on how to assess children in the youth justice system.

Ealing Council uses knife wands at its Perceval House Centre for “lower risk children” visiting the YJS. The council told CYP Now that “children who are being supported by other teams in the building, for example social care, are wanded and children attending for group programmes are also wanded”.

According to Drew’s review, another London council uses hand-held detection wands when carrying out group work that involves travel away from their office.

Introducing detection systems

Despite the installation of a weapons detection system at Hillingdon Civic Centre in the immediate aftermath of Hakim’s death, just 12 per cent of councils that are not currently using a weapons detection system said they were considering installing one.

Norfolk County Council is the only local authority to cite Hakim’s death as a factor in its considerations. The council has also recorded one serious incident involving a weapon over the last three years on its own YJS premises, however, no further details were given.

Barking and Dagenham Council says discussions are ongoing as to whether to introduce a more permanent weapons detection system.

Waltham Forest also revealed plans are under way to install knife arches, saying: “We are building in the static detection into the family and homes hub and in our new planned site at North Birkbeck Road.” Like Norfolk, Waltham Forest also says it recorded one serious incident involving a weapon on the grounds of YJS premises.

Serious incidents

Hakim’s murder and recorded incidents in Norfolk and Waltham Forest are among six incidents to have taken place over the last three years, according to the FoI results.

Brent Council, in north London, was the only local authority to have recorded multiple incidents over the same time period with two taking place in 2019.

The council says: “One involved possession of a knife and the other possession of an offensive weapon. These incidents are recorded via the serious incidents protocol as well as police crime reports.”

Kensington and Chelsea Council recorded one incident in 2019 “when a machete was found at the back of the premises, under a car and handed in to police”.

This relatively small number of incidents involving weapons on YJS premises may raise questions over the need for detection systems to be used on young people, but Drew argues the issue is “about making a statement that we will ensure our premises are safe, both for the children who attend and for the staff that work in them” adding “it is worth implementing if it would save just one more life”.

With just 15 per cent of local authorities having a policy in place on searching young people for weapons (see Analysis), some believe it is time for further debate on the introduction of increased safety measures.

HAKIM SILLAH CASE
THE MURDER THAT SPARKED DEBATE

Hakim Sillah (pictured), aged 18, was stabbed to death in a 40-second attack at a weapons awareness course organised by Hillingdon Youth Justice Service (YJS) at Hillingdon Council’s Civic Centre on 7 November 2019.

Hakim attended the course alongside his killer, aged 17, after both young men “quite separately had been convicted of offences that included the possession of weapons”.

“The programmes on which they were engaged with the YJS were designed, amongst other things, to raise their awareness of the dangers inherent in this behaviour,” according to an independent review by former chief executive of the Youth Justice Board John Drew.

The YJS was unaware Hakim and his killer knew each other and that his killer had “developed a dangerous grievance with Hakim”.

On two previous occasions in 2019, Hakim had been attacked by his killer, most seriously six weeks before the course, inflicting stab wounds that led to his victim being admitted to hospital.

“Hakim knew [his killer] was his assailant that night but did not feel able to tell anyone, and nor did the other boy who was with Hakim that night,” the report states.

On the day of the course, Hakim had arrived 20 minutes early while his killer arrived slightly late and on his arrival attempted to stab Hakim four times.

He struck him twice with one blow proving fatal. Hakim was pronounced dead at Hillingdon hospital an hour later.

Medics working to save his life found Hakim was also carrying a pocket knife on the day of the attack.

His killer ran away from the Civic Centre and cleaned and threw away his knife but was arrested and charged within two hours of the attack. He was convicted of murder in August 2020 and later sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Hillingdon Council instituted a series of initiatives to support staff who had been affected by the murder. It installed a weapons detection system for the YJS and commissioned Drew’s review, which issued a series of recommendations including that Hillingdon Council should share the details and learning from the case with bodies including the pan-London forums of directors of children’s services and heads of youth justice services, and the Department for Education.

Drew also recommends that the YJB should review its advice to youth offending teams, and others engaged in working with children who carry weapons, on the deployment of weapons detection systems, and should “consider whether this issue ought in future to be incorporated into the National Standards for Youth Justice”.