Police find 13-year-old kid armed with knife in Northampton's Market Square

Police found a 13-year-old carrying a knife in Northampton's town centre last night after CCTV operators spotted a suspected drug deal in progress.

Officers recovered the offensive weapon after using stop and search powers to quiz the teenager in Market Square at around 6.40pm on Thursday (July 16).

The youngster has been referred to the county's Community Initiative to Reduce Violence scheme due to his age.

CIRV is a multi-agency intervention programme designed to reduce gang violence and help those involved in gangs.

The scheme was the first of its kind in England when it was launched in February 2019 after successes in Boston, Cincinnati and Glasgow.

CIRV works with gang members to show them the consequences of the life they are choosing to lead and offering them an alternative pathway through mentoring, support, job opportunities and other change programmes.

As part of the CIRV programme, would-be gang members hear testimonies from parents whose children have been killed by knives.

Chief Inspector Dorothy said: "CIRV provides a clear message that the force will not hesitate to take action against those who seek to commit crime in our communities. The programme is seeing good levels of referrals, and is also bringing in intelligence and opportunities to challenge knife crime head-on."

A report last year revealed Northamptonshire Police dealt with reports of 719 knife-related assaults and 464 knife-related robberies during a 12-month period.

They also launched Operation Sceptre last September to tackle knife crime, coinciding with the sentencing of a young man who was just 16 when he killed 17-year-old teenager, Louis-Ryan Menezes in the town.

"Amari Smith, 18, of Penfold Close, Kingsthorpe, was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison for inflicting a single stab wound on Louis.