Hundreds of court orders secured during knife crime pilot in Merseyside
Hundreds of court orders have been secured during a two-year targeted stop and search knife crime pilot in Merseyside, which is now drawing to a close ahead of a decision to roll out the post-conviction powers nationally.
Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs) were introduced in April 2023 in four force areas – Merseyside, Thames Valley, West Midlands and Sussex – for two years.
The aim of SVROs was to tackle high-risk, habitual weapons carriers and help drive down reoffending to keep communities safe.
During the pilot, courts could grant the civil orders when an adult (aged 18 or over) was convicted of an offence involving a bladed article or offensive weapon.
The change in legislation meant officers could stop and search those with a live order for bladed articles or offensive weapons in a public place.
Merseyside Police says the pilot has allowed it to “closely monitor those who have been convicted of an offence” while building an understanding of the orders’ impact and effectiveness, ahead of any wider introduction across England and Wales.
In the past two years, Merseyside Police, alongside the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Mersey Cheshire, has secured more than 270 SVROs against offenders who pose a significant risk to the public. In June 2023, Merseyside was the first force to secure one of the orders.
Additionally, 118 people who were issued a SVRO in Merseyside were given custodial sentences for knife crime offences totalling more than 168 years in prison.
Over the past year, knife crime across the region has decreased by 6.5 per cent and violent crime has reduced by more than 32 per cent in the areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and serious violence across Merseyside.
During proactive patrols, officers conducted hundreds of stop searches on SVRO nominals, resulting in the seizure of several offensive weapons, including a push dagger, Stanley knife blade, Stanley knife and imitation firearm.
Superintendent Phil Mullally, Merseyside’s lead for Serious Violence and Knife Crime, said: “In the last two years, we have used SVROs to target those who think it’s acceptable to carry and use a knife or other offensive weapon in Merseyside.
“By working with the courts, 270 people in Merseyside have received an order, granting us enhanced stop and search powers when they are in public. Through these searches, officers have found dangerous and intimidating weapons which have led to arrests and further charges.
“By taking part in this pilot, we’ve been able to closely monitor those who have been convicted of an offence involving a bladed article or offensive weapon. The majority of those who were handed an order were found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon or committing violence against another person, such as a serious assault.
“We’ve also seen evidence of offenders with a SVRO changing their behaviour, becoming less likely to carry a weapon in a public place, due to the increased risk of being caught.
“Despite this pilot ending, we are still fully committed to tackling knife crime. Our work, together with partner agencies, is ongoing daily, visibly through proactive patrols and operations and behind the scenes through intelligence gathering and investigations.”
The two-year pilot ends on Friday (April 18), meaning no new orders can be made to the courts. However, the force says ‘live orders’ will be phased out over six months, ending on Friday October 17, 2025.
An evaluation report about the SVRO pilot is due later this year, ahead of a decision by the Government to roll out the post-conviction powers nationally.
District Crown Prosecutor Olivia Murray, knife crime lead for CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “This pilot was aimed at preventing offenders from perpetuating a cycle of repeating and escalating their crimes.
“It has highlighted the good working relationships between the police, the CPS and our other partners in the criminal justice system and we would like to thank them for their help with this.
“The independent evaluators of the pilot are taking stock of the data and, if it demonstrates that SVROs have helped bring knife crime down, the Government will consider whether to roll out the orders nationally.
“CPS Mersey-Cheshire is proud to have been the first area to have successfully applied for these orders to be imposed by the courts. Knife crime is a blight on our society and all measures that can help reduce it are to be welcomed.”