The fatal stabbing of musician Talay Riley in east London on 5 June and the attempted murder of a man in a brutal knife attack in north Belfast just three days later have reignited debate about knife violence across the UK.
While the two incidents are unrelated, their proximity in time has fuelled public concern that serious knife attacks are becoming more frequent. However, official figures tell a more complicated story, with experts warning that high-profile cases can create a perception of a national surge even as overall knife crime trends show improvement.
