Just one in five believe young people in NI would tell police about someone carrying a knife
- Love Ballymena
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Martin and Tara Cosser, founded of Charlie’s Promise, after their young son Charlie was murdered in 2023 after being stabbed while trying to protect a friend.
Only one in five people in Northern Ireland are confident that young people would tell police if they knew someone locally was carrying a knife, new research has found — with anonymity appearing to make them considerably more willing to speak up.
Polling commissioned by independent charity Crimestoppers found 20% of Northern Ireland respondents were confident young people in their area would share such information directly with police.
That figure more than doubled to 45% when respondents were asked whether young people would share the information through an anonymous service.
The findings have prompted a new campaign aimed at showing young people that information about knives and serious violence can be passed on without giving their name or identifying themselves.
Fear of retaliation a major barrier
Fear appears to be an important part of the problem.
Almost half — 47% — of Northern Ireland respondents selected fear of retaliation after reporting crime as one of the reasons they might not pass information to police.
Separate UK-wide findings from the same YouGov research suggest the concern is particularly relevant among younger people.
Just 31% of 16 to 25-year-olds across the UK said they would be “very likely” to report information about knife crime directly to police, compared with 45% of adults overall.
Among those aged 16 to 25, 41% identified fear of retaliation as a potential barrier to sharing information about knife crime with police, while 28% cited a lack of trust in police.
The figures do not show how many young people actually withhold information about knife crime. The Northern Ireland findings are based on adults being asked how confident they are that young people in their local area would report information.
They nevertheless point to a substantial difference in perceived willingness to speak when anonymity is available.
Campaign tells story of teenager killed in stabbing
Crimestoppers has launched a campaign through its youth service, Fearless, highlighting the anonymous option available to young people who have information about crime.
At the centre of the campaign is the story of Charlie Cosser, who was murdered in 2023 after being stabbed while trying to protect a friend.
His father, Martin Cosser, co-founder of Charlie’s Promise, is supporting the campaign in the hope that other young people will understand that sharing information could prevent another family experiencing a similar tragedy.
Martin said:
“No family should have to experience the heartbreak ours has endured. We know fear can stop people speaking up, but one piece of information can make all the difference.
“I hope this campaign helps young people understand they can share what they know anonymously and potentially save someone’s life.”
Watch the exclusive short, campaign launch video below:
What is Fearless and can reports be traced?
Fearless is the youth service operated by Crimestoppers and provides information for young people about crime, personal safety and the law, alongside a way to submit information anonymously.
Crimestoppers says Fearless is independent of police, does not ask people submitting information for their name or identifying details, and passes information to law enforcement anonymously.
The research suggests awareness of those safeguards remains limited in Northern Ireland.
Fewer than half of respondents — 48% — were aware that the Crimestoppers reporting service is completely anonymous, while 40% knew that Crimestoppers is independent of police.
The charity hopes increasing awareness of those protections will make young people who are frightened about the consequences of speaking directly to police more comfortable about passing on potentially important information.
Young people with information about someone carrying a knife or other criminal activity can submit it anonymously through Fearless.org.
Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through the Crimestoppers website.
What the research tells us — and its limitations
The research was carried out online by YouGov between 22 and 29 July 2026 on behalf of Crimestoppers.
The total UK sample comprised 4,686 adults aged 16 and over, including 504 people aged 16 to 25.
Importantly, the Northern Ireland-specific findings are drawn from 122 respondents living in Northern Ireland, meaning the regional percentages should be treated with appropriate caution because of the relatively small sample.
The overall figures were weighted to be representative of UK adults aged 16 and over.
While the polling cannot establish how many young people in Northern Ireland would actually report someone carrying a knife, it highlights a striking gap between confidence in direct reporting to police and confidence in anonymous reporting — and suggests fear of retaliation remains one of the obstacles to potentially vital information being shared.
For families and communities, the message behind the campaign is straightforward: someone who is afraid to give their name to police does not have to remain silent. Information that could prevent serious violence can be passed on anonymously.
