Exclusive

Children Sewing Themselves Up After Being Stabbed To Avoid Going To Hospital

4 July 2019, 07:44 | Updated: 4 July 2019, 11:57

Rachael Venables

By Rachael Venables

An LBC investigation has found children as young as 14 are sewing up their OWN knife wounds to avoid going to the hospital.

For the first time last year, more than 1,000 10-19-year-olds were admitted to hospital with knife wounds.

But with doctors often expected to call police when they see a stab-victim, LBC has learned some teenagers are choosing to risk patching themselves up at home, rather than seeking medical help.

Stefan Brown is a former gang member, and now mediator, who runs ‘Stop Our Kids Being Killed On Our Streets’ and he’s told LBC he’s seen teens do this dozens of times.

Stefan Brown, the former gang member, who wants to bring this practice to attention
Stefan Brown, the former gang member, who wants to bring this practice to attention. Picture: LBC

The youngsters will douse the wound in cheap rum or vodka, tie some thick cotton to a weave a sharp hooked needle about two inches long. Then they will sew up their own - or their friend’s - wounds. These needles are normally used for putting in hair weaves and extensions.

He’s also seen superglue used, and seen them take out gunshot pellets with tweezers.

Mr Brown told LBC: “One day a kid is going to die because he’s sewn up his own wound in his bedroom, and it’s got infected or he’s got internal bleeding. All because he’s too scared to go to the hospital, and that can’t be right.”

One of the hooked needles that teenagers are using to sew themselves up after being stabbed
One of the hooked needles that teenagers are using to sew themselves up after being stabbed. Picture: LBC

This is all because gang members believe the police will be called if they turn up to A&E, and they run the risk of being arrested or investigated.

Guidance from the General Medical Council said that police "should normally be informed" if a person comes to hospital with a gunshot or wound from a knife.

However, doctors can use their discretion not to tell the police if they consider than no one other than the patient is at risk and that contacting the authorities may cause more harm or distress.

Mayor Sadiq Khan told LBC he was aware of the practice and that if it far too commonplace. He told James O'Brien: "It's something that is happening far too often in London. People using these wig needles, but I've heard stories using super glue and scalpel tweezers as well.

"The concern many young people have who are using DIY methods of treating themselves is that they may be arrested and charged, as well as a concern on personal safety, retaliation and reprisals.

"It's so dangerous. The possibility of infections or internal bleeding - it's just not worth the risk to self-treat."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Abdirahman Ibrahim has been convicted of murder after driving into the back of Liam Jones

Killer driver mows down e-bike rider to 'teach him lesson' for doing wheelies

The Vatican says Pope Francis is being treated for 'bilateral pneumonia'

New scans show Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs but Vatican says he remains ‘in good spirits’

Meghan

Meghan Markle could face 'legal action' from Spanish town as her new luxury brand logo faces resemblance to coat of arms

The father of murdered schoolgirl Sara Sharif is reportedly being protected by a 'Muslim gang'

Sara Sharif's father protected by 'Muslim gang' in jail after being attacked with jagged tuna lid

Zhenhao Zou is accused of raping three women in London and 7 in China, whilst they were unconscious

PhD student 'discussed rape role-play' with alleged victim, trial hears

Exclusive
Senior Tories including Suella Braverman and Michael Gove have criticised the judge's comments

Senior Tories blast 'out of touch' judge for 'ludicrous attack' on Starmer’s migrant remarks

Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, died in an airstrike, Hamas said

Bodies of youngest Israeli hostage Kfir Bibas and his brother and mother to be handed over as family ‘in turmoil’

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Man suspected of fatally shooting wife outside pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said 'she's dead'

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned 'any appearance by armed forces under some other flag' in Ukraine would be 'completely unacceptable', in a dig at a peace plan floated by Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer’s Ukraine peacekeeping plan ‘completely unacceptable’, Russia tells US in Saudi Arabia talks

Rita Lambourne, 58, was “fatally wounded” at her home in Bayencourt South, Bexhill

Man charged with axe murder of woman in own home

Lydia Mugambe is accused of taking 'advantage of her status'

UN judge ‘trafficked woman to UK to be her slave'

Anonymous posters have appeared in Hampstead Heath, a park in north London, calling for gay men to stop using the park for sex.

'Take back Hampstead Heath', dog walkers urged as posters appear calling for men to stop using park for sex

Gavin Nicholls was tackled to the ground by a plain-clothed officer outside the Co-op in Barnet

Moment serial shoplifter is tackled off e-scooter by police as he flees store in north London

The plane, which was carrying 80 people, slid down onto the icy runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport before bursting into flames

Horrifying video shows moment Delta plane crashes on tarmac and bursts into flames at Toronto airport

Healey's comments came following Russia-US Peake talks in Saudi Arabia.

UK facing 'new era of threat' from Russia, Defence Secretary says as he unveils ‘biggest military shake up in 50 years’