More than two thirds of cautions or convictions for knife crime are for first-time offenders.

Of the 327 criminals found guilty of knife offences in Sussex in the year to September 2023, 227 were people who had not been convicted before.

Anti-knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust said the high proportion of first-time offenders is a "red flag” and shows more investment into preventative measures is needed.

"It exposes a cycle where people are often drawn into violence and face potentially life-altering consequences,” said Patrick Green, chief executive of the trust.

"This is not just a criminal justice issue, but a societal one demanding a multifaceted response.

"Young people are particularly vulnerable to the allure of knife crime due to complex factors like poverty, lack of opportunity, social media and exposure to violence.

"Simply arresting our way out of this crisis is not enough. We need to invest in preventative measures that address these root causes.”

The new offenders accounted for 69 per cent of the overall 327 knife offences, down from 75 per cent the year before.

Across England and Wales, the proportion of new offenders fell from 70 per cent in 2022 to 69 per cent last year.

It was the lowest proportion of first-time offenders recorded over the past decade.

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A Home Office spokesman said the number of hospital admissions for young people with serious knife injuries has fallen in recent years but more needs to be done to "address the root causes of this violence".

He said: "We have banned zombie and cyclone knives and are going further to stop more zombie-style machetes from being used on our streets.

"We are also investing a further £200 million into the youth endowment fund. Our violence reduction units, in combination with hotspot policing patrols, have prevented an estimated 3,220 hospital admissions for violent injuries since 2019."

The Argus launched its Cut Knife Crime campaign last year with a mission to reduce the number of people being injured and killed in stabbings.

The campaign aims to increase use of knife amnesty bins; educate young people about knife crime and make them aware of the effects it has on not just the victim, but those around them; have more bleed control kits in pubs, shops and businesses.