JUST a third of knife crime offenders were jailed in Gwent last year, new figures reveal.

A total of 107 knife and offensive weapon offenders were cautioned or convicted in Gwent in the 12 months up to March 2022, according to Ministry of Justice data.

However, just 37 of these - 34.6 per cent - received an immediate custodial sentence.

The figure fell from 39.4 per cent in the year to March 2021, and 37.1 per cent in the twelve months to March 2020.

Last year, 15 offenders (14 per cent) were issued a caution, 17 (16 per cent) were handed a community sentence, 29 (27 per cent) received a suspended sentence and nine (eight per cent) were given another form of punishment.

Seven offenders in Gwent in the year to March 2022 were aged 10 to 15 – down from 10 the year before – while seven were aged 16 or 17 – down from 10 in the year to March 2021.

South Wales Police saw a rise in knife crime offenders locked up – 45.8 per cent in 2022, up from 43.6 per cent the previous year – as did North Wales Police – 32.5 per cent up from 27.8 per cent.

Dyfed Powys Police saw a fall in offenders being sent to prison – from 38.6 per cent in 2021 to 33.3 per cent this year.

Across England and Wales, the proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence fell from 36 per cent in 2019-20, to just 29 per cent last year.

However, the average custodial sentence length for offenders nationally rose slightly to 7.5 months in 2021-22.

MoJ statisticians said the latest figures are impacted by the effects of the pandemic – including the impact of lockdowns, changes to court arrangements, the re-opening of courts and the types of cases which were prioritised.

However, Patrick Green, chief executive of anti-knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust, said: “It is extremely worrying to see that knife crime offences are rising while fewer criminals are being sent to prison for their crimes.

“While Covid restrictions will have accounted for some of the variation, it is concerning to see that this trend has continued since restrictions were lifted.

“We need greater investment in the court process to reduce the length of time it takes for a case to get to court.”

Gwent Police participated in Operation Sceptre – a nationwide week of action – in May, with the aim of reducing knife crime through knife amnesty bins and raising awareness of the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife.

And the family of Ryan O’Connor – the 26-year-old dad who was stabbed in the Alway area of Newport for his Gucci bag in June 2021 – campaigned against knife crime at the Pill Carnival this summer with their tribute float to him.

South Wales Argus: The friends and family of Ryan O'Connor pay tribute to him and campaign against knife crime at Pill Carnival.The friends and family of Ryan O'Connor pay tribute to him and campaign against knife crime at Pill Carnival. (Image: Newsquest)

Launching Operation Sceptre, Gwent Police inspector Richard Tovey said: “Knife crime remains low across Gwent, but it has risen nationally.

“As these types of crimes are becoming more high profile the concern from our communities grows, and so we want to reassure the public that we’re committed to keeping our communities safe.

“We are continuing to address knife crime as part of our daily policing, with officers conducting intelligence lead stop-searches to deter those who believe that carrying a knife is a sensible option.

“Every knife taken off the streets is another life potentially saved.”