In the UK rather fewer murders are committed each year than in other countries, in England and Wales 615 offences were recorded as homicide for 2009/10. The term homicide covers murder, manslaughter and infanticide. Of these 205 were due to sharp instruments such as knives (see www.homeoffice.gov.uk). Weapons were used in about one in five (19%) incidents of violent crime in the 2009/10.

Learning that a friend or relative has been murdered is deeply shocking (see ‘Changing emotions and physical reactions’). Some of the people we talked to described what happened after a relative or friend was stabbed with a knife or hit with a blunt instrument by a complete stranger or by someone they hardly knew. People suggested why it had happened and recalled how they had heard the news. Some had thought that jealously had played a part, but people suggested other reasons too.

Lisa found out that her ex-boy friend, who was homeless at the time of his death, had been stabbed by a man who said he had murdered two people because he was “cleaning up the streets”. Two friends of Lisa's were murdered within seven months.

A newspaper article described two people who had been stabbed. Lisa thought one might be her ex-boyfriend so she rang the police and was asked to identify him. The shock and distress made her ill.

 

Westley was stabbed by a stranger. He had asked the other man to wait his turn while getting money from a cash machine. Ann heard the news from a family friend over the telephone.

 

 

David found his son, Simon, bleeding to death on waste ground behind their house. His son had been stabbed to death after he complained when another young man nearly ran him over.

 

 

Terri was on holiday when her son Ben was stabbed to death by a young man who had been threatening Ben for a long time because he thought Ben had taken his girl friend.

 

 

Michelle had felt strongly that something dreadful had happened to her mother and was horrified to learn she had been murdered.

 

 

When Adam heard news about Lloyd’s death he wanted to cry but almost laughed. He knew laughter was an inappropriate reaction but he felt that it must have been some sort of joke, it was so surreal.

 

Jayne’s husband, Jonathan, was waiting for an underground train. He was stabbed by a man who was mentally ill, apparently an indiscriminate attack.

 

Tom was stabbed 22 times by a young man with schizophrenia. Dolores describes how she heard the terrible news that her son had been killed.

 

Some people we talked to said that those who had committed the crimes had been a family member or a friend of the victim. For example, Alison's estranged husband had killed two of their children after they had had a violent argument. Some of the killers were ex-boyfriends or ex-girl friends. Angela talked about her cousin, who lived in Jamaica and who had been murdered by her boyfriend. She also talked about her UK friend whose grandson had stabbed her to death.

 

Angela had recently lost a cousin and a friend through homicide. These two deaths devastated her. She heard about her friend’s death over the telephone.

 

Marcus’ fiancée, Louise, was stabbed by a man who pretended to offer Marcus work. Initially Marcus was treated as a suspect. He was shocked when the police told him Louise was dead.

 

Carole’s son was stabbed by his ex-girl friend, who was jealous of a new relationship. A police officer told Carole the terrible news at her work.

 

Julie’s sister, Shirley, was stabbed to death in her own home by an ex-boyfriend, who had beaten her up on other occasions. The police told Julie what had happened.

 

Linda’s son, Kevin, was stabbed to death by his sister’s ex-boyfriend. Linda heard what had had happened when Kevin’s work mate phoned her almost immediately after the murder took place.