Gangs younger and more violent - Met - News in brief

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Commander Sue Akers, head of organised crime in the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crime Directorate, told the Guardian: "We're seeing young kids killing other young kids."

"We've seen 14 and 15-year-olds being killed over what seems the most trivial slights or just a glance. In the past, they would use violence over something like enforcing debts but now it's over this 'respect' issue, the smallest insult."

She said officers were also seeing girl gangs emerging and women being used to carry weapons for male gang members.

More work was needed to give gang members an alternative to a life of crime, she told the newspaper.

"You can carry on with a stick, but you need a carrot at the end of the day. It takes time and investment. We need to get really, really focused on the very young."

She said the gangs were no longer split along racial lines and membership was now based on territory.