Five still held in Shakilus inquiry

Five people remain in custody over the murder of Shakilus Townsend as political pressure mounted to end the rising tide of knife crime. Two men, aged 22 and 18, two teenage boys, aged 16 and 17, and a 16-year-old girl are being held at south London police stations in connection with the teenager's death. With 14 non-fatal knife attacks during the past weekend alone, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is reported to be considering forcing doctors to notify stabbing injuries to the authorities - as gunshot wounds are - to allow police to gather information about incidents that might go unreported. But policing minister Tony McNulty said that carrying knives is getting into teenagers' "collective DNA". Calling for tougher sentences for those caught carrying blades, he said: "I'm afraid this is apparently a generational, almost cultural... [read full story]