Covid-19 'spreading county lines violence to smaller towns', charity warns

19 November 2020, 21:17

County lines gangs are moving into smaller countryside towns due to coronavirus
County lines gangs are moving into smaller countryside towns due to coronavirus. Picture: PA Images
Ewan Quayle

By Ewan Quayle

County lines violence is spreading from large cities to smaller towns due to Covid-19, charity bosses have warned.

Charity representatives told a committee of MPs that the exploitation of young people by drugs gangs was no longer an "urban phenomenon", as tactics had evolved partly in response to enhanced policing in large cities over lockdown.

Speaking at the virtual All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Knife Crime meeting, which was focusing on child criminal exploitation, Joe Caluori from Crest Advisory said the "pattern of exploitation" was becoming more focused in "seaside and market towns".

Mr Caluori, who is the crime and justice consultancy's head of policy, said: "The county lines operating model has been evolving in response to police tactics, like the use of ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) and British Transport Police tightening up on the rail network, and better safeguarding practices in urban local authorities ... some of those changes seem to have been generated by Covid.

"What this means in practice is that more of the grooming and exploitation that used to happen in urban areas is moving down the supply line into what we call the county bases where the actual dealing cases take place."

Gangs are evolving to the use of police tech such as ANPR cameras
Gangs are evolving to the use of police tech such as ANPR cameras. Picture: PA Images

Mr Caluori added: "In county bases, where you get over-supply in the market in terms of illegal drugs, violence is inevitable ... and perhaps most worrying of all is the growth of local postcode gang activity in Ipswich and Medway.

"(In these places) some of the gangs that are forming are perhaps - in a London or Birmingham or Liverpool context - the kind of geographic gang patterns we were seeing 10 years ago or so.

"We can't think of county lines exploitation as an urban phenomenon anymore."

He added that a "lack of national strategy" to tackle gangs meant there were now "huge inconsistencies between (policing in) different areas", and many localities were ill-equipped to deal with problems previously confined to large cities.

Barnardo's chief executive Javed Khan told the APPG, which was chaired by MP Florence Eshalomi, that vulnerable children targeted by county lines were feeling a "poverty of hope" because they "don't dare believe in a positive future" and that "Covid-19 has made it much much worse".

He said: "There are even more vulnerable young people now who are easy prey for exploitative gangs.

"Child criminal exploitation hasn't stopped during Covid-19, it's adapted."

Safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins (right) told MPs the Home Office had invested a "£25 million package" in responding to county lines crime
Safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins (right) told MPs the Home Office had invested a "£25 million package" in responding to county lines crime. Picture: PA Images

Mr Khan added that over 30,000 young people had been referred to the See, Hear, Respond programme led by Barnardo's and funded by the Department for Education to help children and parents who were experiencing increased adversity during coronavirus.

The APPG heard anonymous audio clips of young people recorded by Barnardo's' Routes service which helps children at risk of serious violence, saying they wanted "a new life away from bad people" and they were "terrified" of gangs.

Minister for safeguarding Victoria Atkins told the committee the Home Office had invested a "£25 million package" in responding to county lines issues.

She added that the Government had invested in 18 violence reduction units around the country, "specialist support services" for under-25s in London, Merseyside and the West Midlands, and a national helpline to provide advice for those with concerns about exploitation.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Russell Brand outside the Trew Era community cafe in Hoxton  funded using money from the sales of his book 'Revolution'

Police probing Russell Brand over historic sex offence allegations 'hand CPS file' to consider charges

Scale of King Charles' earnings exposed as royals rake in 'millions' from contracts with cash-strapped NHS and military

Royal portfolio exposed as King 'earns millions' from contracts with cash-strapped NHS, military and state schools

Four girls suffer 'potentially life-changing injuries' during visit to UK fast-food restaurant

Four girls suffer 'potentially life-changing injuries' during visit to UK fast-food restaurant

Firearms officer who shot and killed Jean Charles de Menezes following failed 21/7 attacks speaks for the first time

Firearms officer who shot and killed Jean Charles de Menezes following failed 21/7 attacks breaks silence 20 years on

Police Line Do Not Cross ribbon on a London street following a suspected bomb reported in the area.

Schoolgirl, 10, dies after being bitten by family dog in North Yorkshire as police launch launch investigation

WATCH: Three family members of Sara Sharif were arrested at Gatwick Airport for her muder

WATCH: Moment police board plane and arrest fugitive family of schoolgirl Sara Sharif on suspicion of murder

Craig pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual offences against a teenage pupil

Ex-teacher jailed after he 'groomed' and sexually assaulted pupil in classroom cupboard

A 22-year-old woman died from a stab injury at Spenlow House on Jamaica Road, Bermondsey

Boy, 17, jailed for stabbing woman, 22, to death in 'laughing gas-fuelled row' on Christmas Eve

Jackie Scully will trek 100km across the Sahara desert to mark 10 years since she was given the all-clear

Breast cancer survivor to trek 100km across Sahara desert to mark 10 years since getting all-clear

Flooding And Heavy Rain In Valencia Region Of Spain

What we have seen in Spain these last days is a preview of the future if we do not take action on climate change

Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new Conservative Party leader

New Tory leader Kemi Badenoch says 'huge job' ahead involves 'people we want to bring back to Conservative Party'

Janey Godley has died at the age of 63

Scottish comedian Janey Godley died in hospital 'surrounded by her loved ones' aged 63 following battle with cancer

Exclusive
Anthony Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci says 'garbage' comments made at Trump rally have 'lit up' Puerto Ricans - and could swing election

billy nighy

Billy Nighy 'stole complete works of Shakespeare from library' to prepare for drama school audition

v

Winner in Conservative leadership contest to be announced this morning

Palma is on lockdown amid warnings of heavy rain

Majorca on lockdown as tourist hotspot faces flooding horror after storm kills more than 200