FOI request reveals thousands of knives being confiscated at London family courts: BBC

Thousands of knives and sharp objects are being confiscated annually at London family courts, it has been reported.

The BBC said Ministry of Justice data – given following a freedom of information request covering 15 courts in the capital – had revealed that 86 knives with blades longer than 3in (8cm) were seized in 2018-19, up from 18 a year earlier.

The figures also showed that almost 4,000 shorter blades were found in 2018-19.

The BBC report said the number of longer-bladed weapons confiscated had fallen before increasing dramatically last year.

HMCTS told the BBC it had “a robust security and safety system to protect all court users and the Judiciary.”

Giving a lecture in May, Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, highlighted how, during the first four months of this year at the Central Family Court in Holborn, London, no fewer than 473 knives with blades over 3 inches long were confiscated from individuals during security checks at the court entrance. An additional 230 knives were found deposited in the precincts immediately outside the court entrance.

“We do not believe that most, indeed any, of these knives were necessarily being brought in for use in the court building,” the judge said. “It simply seems to be a facet of everyday life in 2019 for some members of the population to carry a weapon with them at all times.”