The number of stab victims being admitted to hospitals has fallen in England for the first time in four years.

A total of 5,239 people were admitted in the 12 months to the end of April last year after being attacked with a knife or other sharp object, according to figures published yesterday. This is down by nearly 500 from the year before, when 5,720 victims were admitted — an 8 per cent fall.

It was the first time the number of admissions had fallen since 2003-04. The three intervening years saw a steady increase in the numbers arriving at hospital with stab wounds.

In 1997, the year Labour came to power, 3,875 people were admitted to hospital after being stabbed, and the figure has increased in all but three of the following 11 years.

Although the figures show a fall in stabbings in 2007-08, they must be treated with caution as they only apply to England and do not include stab victims who died before arriving at hospital.

Of the latest total, more than 90 per cent were men and 609 were under the age of 18.

Separate figures for admissions to hospital for gunshot wounds show a fall of 10 per cent in 2007-08 compared with the previous year. A total of 1,181 people were admitted compared with 1,315 in 2006-07. Just over 300 of last year’s total were under the age of 18.

Gun injuries are heavily concentrated in London, the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside, the figures show. About two thirds of all gun crime in England occurred in London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.

It is hoped the decline in stabbing admissions will accelerate as a result of recent measures taken to tackle knife crime.

The Home Office said the latest figures were encouraging. It said in a statement: “The Government has undertaken a great deal of targeted action to tackle gang-related gun crime and knife crime, and these latest figures showing a fall in the number of hospital admissions caused by gunshot injuries and assault by sharp objects are encouraging. We are determined to do all we can to stamp out knife crime, and hospital data provides a useful source of information, which is why we have increased the sharing of information between hospitals and police.

“The General Medical Council issued interim guidance last summer which makes clear that the police should be told whenever a person arrives at hospital with a wound inflicted in a violent attack involving a knife. This will ensure we all have a full picture of what is happening on the streets to make sure we are all working together to tackle the problem.”

Figures published earlier this year showed that 270 people died in stabbings last year. That was the highest figure since 1977, when the homicide index was introduced by the Home Office. At the same time gun crime deaths fell to 52 from 59 the year before.

Knives and other sharp objects remain the weapon of choice for murderers, the homicide index showed.

In spite of an increase over the years in fatal stabbings as a proportion of all killings, deaths caused by a knife or sharp object have remained broadly stable over the past 30 years. In 1977, 33 per cent of homicides in were a result of a stabbing — last year it was very little different, at 35 per cent. The proportion peaked at 39 per cent in 1986.

A total of 38 per cent of male homicide victims died as a result of a stabbing last year compared with 28 per cent of female victims.

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