Thousands of weapons have been seized and taken off the streets in Greater Manchester by police over the last year.
As part of Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) wider crackdown on knife crime and “serious violence”, it’s been revealed that a total of 3,265 weapons were seized by officers, and there were 168 fewer recorded knife crime offences in the 12 months to January 2023.
This is a reduction of 3.8%, when compared to the previous year.
On top of this, additional investment has also led to the creation of a dedicated team within GMP called ‘Operation Venture’ – which was launched to in December 2022, with the aim of reducing violent crime in neighbourhoods across the region.
Operation Venture has made 84 arrests, taken 33 weapons off the streets of Greater Manchester, and conducted 106 positive stop-searches that “resulted in the detection of an offence” in just the last four months alone.
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#NEWS | 3,265 weapons taken off the streets of Greater Manchester since April 2022 as GMP continues to come down hard on knife crime
3,400 weapons were surrendered via Amnesty bins in 3 months, each representing 1 more knife off the streets
GMP officers from have also carried out 32 targeted visits to known offenders, who they said may have “posed a risk to themselves and others”.
“Unfortunately, serious violence and knife crime is a problem we are seeing across the country and particularly in metropolitan areas – and it is not unique to Manchester,” explained Superintendent Caroline Hemingway, GMP’s lead for knife crime.
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“GMP is committed to doing everything in our power to reduce these incidences of knife crime and ensure our communities feel safe.
“Every life lost is a tragedy and behind each and every one of our figures is a family and a community deeply hurt by knife crime. I am pleased that progress is being made but there is still a long way to go to further prevent and reduce this type of crime.
“We owe it to our communities to make them feel safer and this is why Operation Venture has been launched alongside other proactive policing operations.”
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Police seize more than 3,200 weapons in Greater Manchester to help tackle ‘serious violence’ / Credit: GMP
Over the last three months, GMP also says communities across Greater Manchester have been coming together to rally against the rise in knife crime, and there have been 3,400 weapons surrendered via dedicated Amnesty Bins.
GMP continued to urge that it “cannot win this fight alone”.
“Whilst enforcement is a vital tactic in the fight against knife crime, communities need to come together and continue sharing their concerns and any intelligence so officers can act on it,” Superintendent Hemingway added.
Featured Image – GMP
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Man City fan jailed after causing £10k damage to a police vehicle following Champions League victory
Emily Sergeant
A Manchester City fan has been jailed for his part in large-scale disorder following the club’s Champions League victory.
The court heard how, following Manchester City’s Champions League Final win over Inter Milan in Istanbul in Turkey on Saturday 10 June 2023, jubilant fans flocked to the streets of Manchester city centre for late-night celebrations.
The large influx of fans in high spirits prompted a police response to ‘ensure public safety’ and ‘prevent any public disorder’, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
However, the disorder did begin to escalate despite police presence.
A number of fans, including 22-year-old Leon Blackett, scaled a police vehicle and proceeded to jump up and down on it, which subsequently caused more than £10,000 worth of damage, and resulted in the vehicle having to be written off.
#JAILED | Leon Blackett (14/01/2003) of Craigmore Avenue, has been been handed a three-month jail term for causing £10k worth of damage to a police vehicle following the club's Champions League win in 2023, along with 41 months for other offences.
Following the disorder, an investigation was launched by GMP’s City Centre policing, with officers obtaining social media and CCTV footage that helped them to identify those responsible.
Blackett admitted to the offence, after he was arrested on Thursday 19 October 2023.
Following admitting to the offence, Blackett was sentenced to 44 months in prison – a three-month jail term for this football-related offence, along with 41 months for possession of a bladed article and a domestic related communications offence.
He has also been given a seven-year Football Banning Order, commencing on the day Blackett received his sentence.
“The actions by Blackett in the wake of Manchester City’s historic Champions League Final victory were completely unacceptable,” commented PC Matt Ford, from GMP’s Specialist Operations Planning Unit.
“This is a timely reminder to those who commit crimes while following the football in another country, we will seek prosecutions for unacceptable behaviour.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Stevie Wonder to play landmark Manchester gig as part of UK tour this year
Thomas Melia
Living legend Stevie Wonder is heading on a UK tour and stopping off in Manchester for the first time in 15 years.
Manchester has been blessed by the music gods yet again, and this time, it comes in the form of funk pioneer Stevie Wonder.
The 74-year-old musician will be bringing his extraordinary grand piano, exceptional live band, and, of course, his groovy tunes like ‘Superstition’, ‘Isn’t She Lovely’, and ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’ to our city later this year.
Wonder last visited Manchester in 2010, gracing the AO Arena with his presence, but now he’s visiting Manchester’s newest live music entertainment venue, Co-op Live.
Stevie Wonder will be visiting Co-op Live in Manchester this year / Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
The American-Ghanaian icon has an undisputed legacy.
He became the youngest solo artist ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 with his 1963 single ‘Fingertips’ at age 13, and has also won the prestigious Album of the Year category at the Grammys three times, as well as taking home 25 awards in total throughout his career.
His 1976 project Songs in the Key of Life was also featured in Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums at number six by esteemed critics and the public alike – a claim that not many have to their name.
With this 2025 UK tour titled ‘Love, Light & Song’, the Michigan native will be heading to two arenas, Manchester and Birmingham, and taking on various festival performances along the way – including Lytham Festival.
The crowds will be roaring when Stevie Wonder takes to the stage, and rightly so, as this artist has racked up almost 300 weeks in the UK Top 40, with an impressive 39 singles featuring on our charts throughout his career.
He’s an undeniable force, and this show in Manchester is set to be monumental, so ‘Don’t You Worry ’bout a Thing’, as you’ll be in for a night of jazz, funk, soul, and everything in between.
Emily Sergeant -
13th March 2023 
