THE full extent of Britain’s violent crime epidemic, which yesterday claimed the life of another teenager, is revealed in shocking new figures that show the number of street robberies involving knives has more than doubled in two years.

Attacks in which a knife was used in a successful mugging have soared, from 25,500 in 2005 to 64,000 in the year to April 2007. The figures mean that each day last year saw, on average, 175 robberies at knife-point in England and Wales – up from 110 the year before and from 69 in 2004-5.

The study, by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS) at King’s College London, is based on the government’s own statistics. It shows that knives are used in one in five muggings, twice the frequency reported two years ago. The new figures will renew pressure on ministers to address the rising tide of violence and antisocial behaviour on Britain’s streets.

The surge in knife crime was highlighted yesterday when police announced a murder investigation after Andrew Holland, 16, died following a stabbing in Bolton. The teenager was awaiting his GCSE results this week and wanted to join the army, his family said.

In a separate attack, Northum-bria police charged a man after an incident on the Tyne Bridge in which a policeman was allegedly attacked with a knife.

This weekend David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said ministers had been complacent.

“This explosion in knife crime is the most astounding symptom of Britain’s broken society. The government has been slow to recognise and even slower to act to deal with this plague on the streets of our towns and cities,” said Davis.

Richard Garside, director of the CCJS, said ministers had taken the wrong approach to tackling the problem. “The government has embarked on endless law and order initiatives, yet knife-related robberies appear to be increasing, if the latest figures are to be believed,” he said.

“This challenges the notion that there is a policing or punishment solution to this problem. Success in tackling knife-related violence will require a concerted strategy to deal with the causes of violence, of which the social antagonisms caused by poverty and inequality are key.”

According to the study, to be published next month, there were 320,000 robberies in the 12 months to April 2007. That contrasts with 311,000 last year and 255,000 in 2005.

The number of knife-related muggings seems to be rising rapidly despite a spate of new laws and amnesties.

Earlier this year the government increased the penalty for carrying a knife in public from two to four years’ imprisonment. But the Tories complained that ministers, including Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, had voted against a proposed increase two years before.

Of the 820 homicides in 2005 in England and Wales, 236 – or 29% – were with a knife or other sharp instrument. Those figures showed that knives are used in 6% of all violent crimes.

Critics have accused the government of lacking a coherent strategy to tackle the problem and of resorting to knee-jerk legislative responses.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Public protection is our top priority, which is why we have recently introduced tough legislation such as increasing the maximum sentence for carrying a knife in public without good reason from two to four years.”

Ministers will hope that the latest figures are a blip rather than the reversal of a downward trend since 1995.

Enver Soloman, the CCJS’s deputy director, said there needed to be more research into the problem. “There is no doubt there are more kids carrying knives, but it’s not clear why,” he said.

“Much of it is for personal safety rather than for putting it against someone’s throat.” The new report, which analyses figures in the British Crime Survey, concludes: “Since it’s extremely difficult if not impossible to limit the availability of knives, and knives are merely a tool used in violent crime, success in fighting knife crime will only come with success in dealing with the underlying causes of violence, fear and insecurity.”

Bernard Hogan-Howe, chief constable of Merseyside, yesterday described the increase as “massive” and said police are struggling to cope with the sheer volume of alcohol-fuelled youth crime.

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