Schoolboy's death marks new low in UK knife-crime crisis

The death of a 14-year-old boy almost three weeks after he was stabbed marked a new low in Britain’s knife crime crisis tonight.

Detectives launched yet another murder inquiry after David Idowu lost his 20-day fight for life at an east London hospital.

The boy, attacked after a row spilled from football pitches on to a nearby street, became the 19th teenager to be stabbed to death in the capital this year.

His death came just two days after a senior London police officer said knife crime had overtaken terrorism as his officers’ top priority.

Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson revealed the creation of a special knife-crime unit to address the recent spate of stabbings.

It was an admission that several weeks of high-profile stop-and-search operations do not appear to have discouraged dangerous young people from carrying weapons.

The litany of young dead has shocked police and politicians at a time when they would rather highlight how crimes of almost every kind are falling.

Tory leader David Cameron said today that anyone convicted of knife crime should expect a jail sentence.

His comments follow those of Sir Ian Blair who has said the threat of capture may be one of the only ways to persuade young people to put knives down.

Policing Minister Tony McNulty said at the weekend that carrying knives is getting into teenagers’ “collective DNA”.

The death of David Idowu came as several other knife-related crimes continued to grab the headlines:

:: A second man, aged 33, was arrested by police hunting the killer of French students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo after he walked into a police station;

:: A man aged in his early 20s died in the early hours after being repeatedly stabbed at an address in Durrant Street, Bethnal Green, east London;

:: Five people, including three teenagers, were being questioned over the murder of Shakilus Townsend in Thornton Heath, south London.

:: An 18-year-old remained in hospital after being stabbed during a fight between more than 10 men in a Wolverhampton car park;

:: Detectives investigating the murder of Hamouda Bessaad, 34, stabbed by a gang of youths in Old Kent Road last week, released CCTV of his final movements.

David, a schoolboy from Southwark, died at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel earlier. He had been stabbed in the stomach and chest in Great Dover Street, SE1, on June 17 after a row with a gang of youths.

Detective Inspector Bernie Galopin, of Southwark CID, said: “Nearly three weeks after the attack on David, he has lost his life, and this will now be a murder investigation.

“In light of David’s death, our immediate thoughts are with his family and friends and getting justice for them.

“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to anyone who has information or who witnessed the attack but have yet to contact the police to come forward.”

A 16-year-old boy has appeared at Camberwell Youth Court accused of attempted murder.

Devon Hanson, principal of Walworth Academy, where David was studying, said pupils and staff were shocked.

He said: “This is a terrible and unnecessary tragedy and the whole school is deeply saddened. Our thoughts and condolences go to David’s family and friends.”