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'We welcome the considerable expertise City officers bring', force says.

Scene of Thursday's attack in Mile End, east London. Photo: John Stillwell/PA Wire

 

Detectives from City of London Police are aiding the Met as frequent violent attacks continue in the capital.

On Thursday, six youths were attacked within a 90-minute period, including a 13-year-old boy who was seriously wounded after being set upon in Newham, east London.

Around an hour earlier, two 15-year-olds were seriously hurt after being stabbed in Grove Road, Mile End, east London.

More than 50 people have been killed in the metropolis since the start of the year, more than 30 of whom were fatally knifed.

It was announced on Thursday that City of London Police are helping with the caseload.

The force has taken on the investigation of a man killed at a bookmakers in Clapton, east London, on Wednesday.

A statement from the Met said: “The investigation will be led by Superintendent Lee Presland, from City of London Police and a former Met officer.

“The Met routinely works closely with other forces, especially its neighbouring forces - which include City of London Police - on a variety of crime prevention initiatives such as Operation Sceptre to tackle knife crime, and we welcome the considerable expertise City officers bring.”

Victor Olisa, the Met's former head of diversity and head of policing in Tottenham told the Guardian: "It appears to people I have spoken to as though the police have lost control of public spaces and the streets.

"The silence from senior officers in the Met is deafening."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the rising number of murders on the capital's streets was "heartbreaking" and criticised the government for cuts to the policing budget.

He said: "Of course it concerns me, I think one murder is one too many.

"Since 2014 we have seen an increase in violent crime in London and across the country.

"Already in the last seven years we have lost £700 million from the policing budget. Over the next three years the government plans to cut another £300 million. That's a billion pounds worth of cuts.

"So my message to the government is please work with us to solve this national problem."

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