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Banbury man subject to first SVRO after six months in prison
30/06/2023
SVROs give the police the option to stop and search a person who has previously been convicted of knife crime
A Banbury man is the first person in the Thames Valley Police area who will be subject to a Serious Violence Reduction Order (SVRO) when he leaves prison at the end of his sentence.
Thirty-four year old John Birshu, of Middleton Road in town, was sentenced to six months in prison at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday (June 27).
He had pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a knife in a public place after officers were called to Middleton Road during the early evening on May 30, following reports of a man seen with a knife.
When Birshu leaves prison his SVRO will come into effect for one year. This gives the police the power to stop and search him in public spaces, without the need for reasonable grounds. The aim is to check he is not carrying a bladed item or offensive weapon.
A SVRO is a civil order which can be placed on someone who has been convicted of an offence that involved a bladed item or offensive weapon. This is the first time it has been used in the Thames Valley.
Investigating Officer PC Peter Hayward said: “Thames Valley Police takes knife crime extremely seriously and the carrying of knives will not be tolerated. I hope this swift arrest, charge, conviction and sentencing shows that we will take robust action to deal with anyone involved in knife crime to keep our communities safe.”
Chief Inspector Jade Hewitt, Tactical Commander for Reducing Knife Crime, said: “Tackling serious violence and knife crime is a priority for Thames Valley Police. Knives ruin lives, tearing apart families and spreading fear in our communities, particularly with young people.
“As one of four forces trialling these new powers, we welcome this – the first Serious Violence Reduction Order to be granted in the Thames Valley. These powers allow us to apply further pressure on those who have been involved in knife offences so that we can keep our communities safe. This should send a clear a message to those who think it is acceptable or necessary to carry a weapon that there are consequences.
“Our broader response to knife crime includes our work partners to increase education and early intervention initiatives to prevent young people being drawn into crime in the first place. Then, through proactive policing we target the hotspots for violence, increasing our presence through high visibility patrols, operations and proportionate use of powers such as Stop & Search. When we make arrests, we ensure there are robust criminal justice processes that put the offender before the courts to receive a swift outcome.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam