Violent criminals need tougher sentences, says Staffordshire police chief

Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis made the call after crime rocketed in the county by 14 per cent and knife crime by a staggering 32 per cent over the last year.

He said the law also needed to change so that all violent acts with weapons – including acid – were treated the same.

But he warned that police forces 'can't arrest their way out' of the growing trend in knives being carried on the streets.

Mr Ellis said: "The criminal justice system needs to be toughened up.

"We have seen a rising number of acid attacks nationally and I think we need to be tougher on all acts of violence on other people, whether that is an offensive weapon or acid.

"These people need to understand what they have done and be locked away longer than they are.

"This is not just knife crime – we have seen cases where people are turning to other weapons or acid, which is absolutely abhorrent."

Between April last year and March this year there were 674 knife offences in Staffordshire last year – up from 362 in 2010/11.

Mr Ellis added: "I'll be honest, the knife figures trouble me most. The police can't arrest their way out of this problem. This is a societal issue. I really want to understand what is behind this rise.

"Is this because the police have been really effective in arresting and charging more people with knives? Is this centred in the city of Stoke-on-Trent or a whole county issue? Is it driven by poverty or fear? What is the reason that people are carrying and using knives? These are some of the things I really want to get to the bottom of.

"What I am clear about is that there is absolutely no excuse for carrying and using weapons. It is dangerous to make excuses about why people carry knifes or acid.

"The police cannot do this alone. This is a societal issue and we need to work with other agencies in addressing this problem."