'It's not like on Midsomer Murders’: Met Detective shocked by increasing ‘ferocity’ of homicides in London
3 August 2023, 06:38 | Updated: 3 August 2023, 09:25
Solving murders in London is far removed from the sedate investigations of Midsomer Murders, the Met's top homicide detective has said.
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Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Cochlin, a 29-year veteran of the force, praised his teams' success at a recent briefing.
The 20 homicide teams working across four regional hubs have achieved a 92% detection rate for killings from January 1 to July 31, 2023.
At a briefing with crime reporters in Lambeth, south London, Mr Cochlin outlined the latest figures from January 1 to July 31 2023 with detection rates at 92%.
He said: “That is a phenomenal achievement. What we’re saying is if you kill somebody in London, greater than nine times out of 10 you will be arrested and charged and you will face the courts.”
Conviction rates also remain high, he added, crediting the Met's 24/7 response capability.
Unlike Detective Barnaby's relaxed investigations in the popular ITV show, Met teams have "blue light capability 24/7" with immediate dispatch to crime scenes.
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Officers are reporting an "extraordinarily violent mindset" among some suspects in London. The most extreme incidents appear influenced by a "pack mentality," according to police.
Social media has become a common means for rival groups to threaten each other, glorify weapons and violence, and even celebrate deadly attacks.
"What we notice is sometimes the ferocity of the attacks can be really in excess of what you would think is required," said Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Cochlin at a recent press conference.
"The excessive violence is often surprising – it goes beyond what's needed to achieve someone's aims. This trend of escalating brutality has been building up and it’s certainly concerning."
Some cases have seen victims stabbed multiple times, with enough force to break ribs, or subjected to multiple methods of attack in one incident.
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In June, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed and thrown into a canal. The previous month, a machete fight between groups outside a tube station left one teen dead and another hospitalized.
Detectives have theories about the increasing violence. Many believe young killers – often in their teens or 20s – have been desensitized by their lifestyle and violent media.
Some officers think London's murder rate has been suppressed by medical advances and rapid response teams performing emergency surgery. But the mindset remains extraordinarily brutal.
The improved interventions have increased the survival rate from stabbings and shootings, meaning that levels of violence that would previously have left victims dead are recorded as attempted murder.
But the figures are almost half those seen at a peak of violence two decades ago when more than 200 people were killed annually.
So far this year, there have been 65 homicides in London. Six involved guns and 49 knives. Eighty percent of victims were male, with the largest ethnic groups being 46% white and 38% black.
Homicides peaked in 2003 at over 200, but are projected around 110-115 this year, similar to 2022. Most victims are teenagers and people in their 20s.
Croydon has seen the highest number of killings, although none were linked. Asked about trends, Cochlin noted the "ferocity of attacks can be really in excess of what you would think is required. The excessive violence is often surprising."
The teams aim to balance solving and preventing crimes while learning lessons across the Met, he said. Family liaison officers also help rebuild community trust.
"Murder is the most intrusive thing that can happen to a person," Cochlin stated. "Our family liaison officers are critical from the moment we get involved through court proceedings."
