A Coventry teen shares his experience with knife crime and how he’s changing his life through a police initiative
Coventry: Idris Elba recently learned about knife crime in Coventry. He met a teenager named Jayden, who is working to change his life. This was part of a BBC1 documentary called ‘Our Knife Crime Crisis’.
Jayden started carrying a knife at 12. He faced a scary situation in a park. A group of 20 people approached him, and one had an axe. After that, he felt he needed a knife for protection.
He said, “I didn’t step outside without a knife. You’re scared, right? I got jumped, so you want to protect yourself.” But now, he’s getting help through the ‘Serve’ project by West Midlands Police.
Jayden met Idris in a cafe and shared how the program is helping him. He said, “When I first joined, I had no confidence. PC Laura Cutherbertson helped me a lot.” He no longer carries a knife, even though it was hard to let go.
PC Laura Cutherbertson, who works with Jayden, said this job is the most rewarding in her 19 years of police work. Many young people carry knives because they feel stuck. The program offers guidance and helps them find new paths.
Jayden is now part of the Aston Villa FC academy and dreams of becoming a coach. Idris was impressed by the program’s impact. He believes it offers hope and should be expanded nationwide.
Idris said, “Seeing stories like Jayden’s shows there’s hope. This program can help kids who are struggling.” The documentary is available on BBC iPlayer.
