Murders in London hit 10-year high with over 100 victims in 2018 so far, police claim

MURDERS in London have reached their highest level in 10 years, police said yesterday.

The grim toll has now reached 100 victims – the highest since 2008, dubbed “two thousand and hate” because of that year's appalling violence.

Teacher Memunatu Warne, 43, became the 100th victim of “two thousand and hate-teen” last Thursday morning when she died in an arson attack by killers on mopeds.

The victim, from Sierra Leone, was staying with relatives in Woolwich, South London, and due to return home the next day when their home was firebombed.

Detective Chief Supt Richard Wood, head of the Met Police homicide command, said her death was the earliest point in the year that killings had reached a century since 2008.

He said: “Clearly we have reached the hundred-mark very early.

“There are many bereaved families and a lot of trauma behind that.”

Det Chief Supt Wood added that some homicides had been marked by “frenzied” methods, multiple suspects and “a reluctance of people coming forward...”

There were 43 Afro Caribbean victims, 36 white Europeans, with the rest from Asian and other ethnic backgrounds.

Almost a quarter of the victims – 24 – were female and 55 of the total were killed in public.

Of those homicides carried out behind closed doors, 21 were suspected of being victims of domestic abuse.

Cops have linked 22 of the deaths to gangland activity and 40 victims were aged under 25. Detections are running at 85 per cent and 111 people have been charged with murder since January 1, including some offences from previous years.

Det Chief Supt Wood said there had been “some issues” with gangster drill music and social media.

“Investigations are getting more complex and challenging,” he added.

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