A convicted drug dealer from Gravesend, Kent, who stabbed a police officer during a raid has been sentenced to an additional two-and-a-half years in prison, bringing a spotlight onto the concerning trend of rising violence against police officers.
The assailant, 32-year-old Kuran Gill, attacked the police officer with a knife during a drug warrant that was being served at his home on Sun Marsh Way on Wednesday, 21 April 2021.
Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, attempting to arrest him, were met with Gill brandishing a knife in his kitchen.
The officer suffered a serious arm injury, necessitating surgical intervention but has since fully recovered and returned to duty.
On Tuesday, 11 July 2023, Woolwich Crown Court found Gill guilty of grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Before this conviction, Gill had already been serving a seven-year sentence for participating in an organised crime group responsible for smuggling drugs into the UK from Canada.
Gill had pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to import cannabis, conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property.
His co-offenders, Gregory Blacklock from Maidstone, Govind Bahia from Gravesend, and Jag Singh from London, were also sentenced to jail for their respective roles in the crime syndicate.
The incident underlines a grave national concern, the alarming escalation in violent attacks against police officers.
Data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council reveals that 12 police officers were stabbed in England and Wales in the past year, three of which occurred in Kent.
The rising frequency of stabbings raises questions about the challenges facing law enforcement.
Factors such as the increasing availability of knives, an evolving landscape of crime becoming more violent, and the heightened stress levels police officers are experiencing contribute to their growing vulnerability.
This intensifies the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to ensure the safety of officers while maintaining public peace and order.
Addressing this trend and ensuring the safety of those sworn to protect the public is of utmost importance.
The case of Kuran Gill serves as a stark reminder of the tangible risks and sacrifices law enforcement officers face daily.
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As a higher level drug dealer, he should have been jailed for at least 10 years for his first offence. Stabbing anybody, least of all an officer, should attract at least another 10. After 20 years good behaviour, he will be free. Do it again and he will be back in for 40 years, at which point we will cease to care because he will die in jail.
Knowingly stabbing a police officer in the execution of his duties should automatically receive a Five year sentence.