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Bid for Ipswich-specific knife crime strategy

Ipswich borough councillor and county councillor Sam Murray introduced a motion to Suffolk County Council on Thursday that looked at ways to address knife crime.

She asked the council to consider building on the work already being delivered in Suffolk and investigate the benefits of piloting a knife crime action plan in Ipswich.

Her motion was unanimously accepted by the committee.

Earlier this year, two people were jailed for the stabbing murder of Raymond James Quigley in Ipswich town centre in January 2023.

Raymond James Quigley was stabbed to death in Ipswich town centreRaymond James Quigley was stabbed to death in Ipswich town centre (Image: Suffolk Police)

Mrs Murray has been working to bring an Ipswich-specific knife crime strategy, believing that the methods to prevent knife crime in urban Ipswich cannot be the same as those in more rural Suffolk.

She said: "Ipswich is a wonderful town and it is full of good salt of the earth people, but out town is struggling.

"It is not thriving the way it should and a huge part of that is because people do not feel safe here anymore."

She added that knife crime is a "harrowing" issue that must be dealt with head-on.

Her motion was seconded by Suffolk county councillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton, who said: "One case of knife crime is one too many.

Councillor Philip Faircloth-MuttonCouncillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton (Image: SCC)

"We are fortunate to live in a county with the first lowest level of knife crime in the country."

However, he added that there are many ways that someone could be motivated to commit such a crime and that it is their duty to prevent it from happening in the first place.

The motion also received cross-party support from the likes of Lib Dem councillor Inga Lockington, who asked if it would be possible for this work to be done quickly.

The motion recieved cross-party support from Labour's Rob Bridgeman.The motion received support from Labour's Rob BridgemanAdditionally, Labour councillor Rob Bridgeman said: "It is a harsh reality when so many of us are not surprised by the high level of violence.

"Shocked, yes, but not surprised.

"We must work harder to stop this."

He also asked that if possible, Mrs Murray and Mr Faircloth-Mutton would be able to speak to Ipswich-based county councillors and Ipswich Borough Council later on regarding what the next steps of this motion should be.

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