Bad Company

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Warning: graphic language and description of injuries

There were almost 15,000 knife crime in London , the highest recorded in the last Year - since the beginning of the records. Clive Myrie spent several weeks at The Royal London Hospital 's trauma unit, where Many victims are treated.

"people are Cunts", says Lucas.

Lucas is in his house in Essex. At 6ft 1in, he's a big boy with 16 years old. He lifts to show a loose fitting T-shirt, and a neatly cut-out wound about 6in long, from his sternum down to his navel.

It heals well, and has a prick of a surgeon in a long surgery for repair of an attacker, wounding, his liver pierced. A group of young robbers had tried to steal his bike and cell phone.

"It was not a fair fight," he says. "I had my fists, you had a knife. They are cowards. "

I first encountered Lucas 10 days earlier, at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. A resuscitation team of doctors tried to save his Life . But that's not what you see on TV, with Many dramatic rush. The Team was fast, but also quiet and methodical, for the stabilization of Lucas ' condition, The Blood loss and the monitoring of its vital functions.

He was fully conscious to speak, even though it is difficult, as The Surgeon held his hand and assured Him that everything would be all right. But Lucas ' mother, Julia, everything was far from right, as her son struggled to ask for water. A nurse moistened his lips. Lucas was not drinking allowed prior to the Operation.

Julia said, she did not cry, she had to stay strong for Lucas. "I got the call, and you said your son was attacked and stabbed to death," she said to me. "I couldn't believe it. You only stabbed Him to death. "

Trauma to the municipality of

for several weeks over a period of three months at the London Royal, and we guards, paramedics, doctors and nurses deal with a steady flow of knife attack victims.

The Number of attacks an average of two in the night, your leaks patched before our eyes. For the employees, this is normal, routine. The World they inhabit is appalling, but it is an environment, a nurse, says sober to inhabit them "trained".

A beautiful morning with The Sun reflected in the sheet-glass-facade of The Royal London , Fazia, One of The Nurses in charge, raises an eyebrow and tells us to "get ready".

"The Sun comes out, The Kids are out, it's Friday, it's summer vacation. That almost always means stabbings," she says. "You are all from, some of the busiest times of The Day , during the school ends, the time right after school, so imagine what happens when children are late, because it's bright and it's summer vacation. Chaos!"

A particularly warm night, after we see the film multiple stabbing victims in the resuscitation area, another on-duty nurse, Arnie, talks about the impact The Aftermath of so much violence.

"It doesn't concern me, I'll be back with my home Life . Of course it's bad, but you know, these guys think that it is normal, anyway. "

I Wonder if it makes the staff anxiety, but Arnie that it doesn't say.

"It's sad, Yes , but usually they are nice to me, they are cute kids. I don't see her Life outside of The Hospital . Sometimes you get some bad, who are evil, but that is like anywhere, you get good and bad. "

It is strange, under an insight into this world. See medical staff, remaining detached, despite the massacre, the all around, and to see the injured Young People help, especially Young People , some of them traumatized by their experiences, some attracted by Him .

One night, about 22:00, a 15-Year -olds, what we call "Reece" (not his real name), hobbles through the hallway of the trauma ward. Chest drain in One hand, his phone in The Other , he wants to know why our cameras are in The Hospital . He noted a BBC badge. "Oh, the BBC's man! Old man-TV," he says with a laugh.

on The Opposite side of The Corridor is another patient with stab wounds. Compare scar, Reece, The Four oblique bars, which he took to his upper back, and The Other boy, The Deep wounds showing on his legs. They laugh together about how they cut already.

Reece says that, as soon as he got out of The Hospital , he will be "back on The Road " (re-in any type of criminal activity). "How am I to do now with no money? Who will look after me?" He continues to laugh away. "Look at the stitches man, it looks sick! I'm going to snap, innit. "

He asks his friends, a picture of Him in his robe with his chest drain. You can send it online and immediately people are commenting on.

To Reece, the idea that he would be out of his Life "on The Road " is bizarre. He says he has No Other options.

For Many of these Young Men , who are your choices in Life are limited.

For Reece, there are no parents on The Scene , and he was homes, in and out of care.

Later That Night , as he sits at the Desk, an older man walks in, wearing a flashy tracksuit, and shiny coach. Reece knows Him , and his attitude suggests he respects Him - it's a respectful tone in his conversation.

It seems that This Man is to remind Reese of his Life outside - he had to appear in court.

As The Man our camera, he begins to notice what feels like a confected by talking about how this Reece ' s chance to change his Life . The two then go outside, and if Reece is, he reveals in his bag is a bag full of weed. He says it is just given to Him .

It is a reminder of Reece - who sells drugs in The Past - Yes , you got stabbed, but One survived, so remember what it is that puts food on the table, and trainers on her feet.

Everyone we see, a major Operation. Fortunately, all survived. The Wounds vary - angled cut across the face of a Person, a single stab wounds to strokes on an arm, on a chest or a back, frantic repeat crashes of sound to someone in the buttocks, often by multiple attackers.

Some of the attacks are during the raids. One of The Victims is slashed a bouncer, just in front of his mouth, because he would not allow someone in a club. Other children caught between rival Gangs - Many are fighting assaults during the course. If two victims of rival Gangs , you have to have a rest, in separate municipalities, guarded by police officers.

It is a showing off of some of the patients. Your wounds are badges of honor. But often The Day after surgery is brings clarity and reflection. The euphoria of survival gives way to devastating realities. Is it safe for you to Return Home ? Their families are in danger? You are marked for good?

Michael is admitted to the attack in an ambulance One night for what he says is his 12 bar. A knife wound has damaged tendons in the 24-Year -old left arm and through an artery severed in his wrist. It's annoying, he says - painful, to be sure, but just annoying.

"This is London ", he says, as nurses, blood, and administering morphine to try. "What should I do in My House ? It is part of Growing Up in London and living in London . "

A few days later, when he is discharged, he says that he understands why people carry knives.

"It is to survive, if you know other people are rollin'," he says. "I can't say to someone, not a knife to carry, if you are feeling fear on The Street . My Little Brother is stabbed to death 21. He has been arrested for the implementation. It is his Choice . "

surgeon

Many of the people we see in The Royal London until the end of the surgery, Martin Griffiths, of the operating table. At 53, he is a trauma, veteran, worked for Many years, with severe knife and gunshot wounds of The Victims .

The Royal London trauma unit is One of the busiest in Europe. The medical personnel of The Armed forces often to visit to have first-hand knowledge of the treatment of severe wounds.

Griffiths believes that assaults are always brutal, more calculation, the results in the theatre. The goal is not to kill the enemy, but to maim or disfigure.

"We are seeing more complex wounds in areas where the bits together in The Body , junctionalis areas," he says, "like the neck and the groin, and suggests that a movement back to more serious wounds and more numbers of wounds. We see more victims with multiple injuries. "

"I hope that it is just a slip-up," says Griffiths, "but I'm worried there is a change in the attitude of the knife-injuries. The people are becoming better educated, as they cause damage. "

knife crime, long reads, nhs

Source of news: bbc.com