A man born and raised in Battersea is calling on the Metropolitan Police to afford residents the “same protection as Westminster” after a spate of stabbings.

Albert Marshall, whose nephew was attacked and stabbed just a few weeks ago, believes protection is only afforded to people based on their postcode.

He said: “I live in Kensington where the police presence would be greatly increased even for one incident.

“The residents concerned should be given the same protection as Westminster.”

At the weekend, a 17-year-old was stabbed to death in Battersea. He was the eight teenager stabbed to death in London in 2017, the 14th in the UK. At the end of March, 21-year-old Malachi Brooks was fatally stabbed in Surrey Lane.

Mr Marshall said he does not wish to identify his nephew.

He said: “Battersea people are good people and these incidents should be treated as high priority.

“Immediate and constant surveillance is required for the estate’s streets so my children and the community of Battersea can walk and cycle without fear of such violent, cruel and wicked acts.”

Mr Marshall, who has children living in the area, said: “I don’t want anything to happen to them.

“I don’t want anything to happen to anyone’s children.”

The Metropolitan Police recently reported a 24 per cent rise in knife crime in the London in the last year, while gun crime rose by 42 per cent.

In another Wandsworth stabbing, a man was chased and stabbed in the buttocks by a stranger in Allfarthing Lane on April 8 in what police described as an “unprovoked attack”.

The Met’s funding has been cut by £600 million since 2010 and it must make further savings of £400 million by 2020.

However, the newly appointed Police Commissioner Cressida Dick announced a crackdown on gun and knife crime last week. She said violent crime is a “huge concern”.

Ms Dick, the Met’s first female chief, said the decline in the use of stop and search powers was very “very positive” but they were important when it comes to knife crime.

She said: “I think it is an extremely important tactic and an extremely important tool properly used.

“When the officers are acting lawfully, courteously and are held to account, I will absolutely support them.

“If in the fight against knife crime, the numbers of stops and searches go up, then I will be supporting them in that as well.”

Councillor Jonathan Cook, Wandsworth Council’s community safety spokesperson, called the most recent fatal stabbing “heinous” while Wandsworth Labour leader Simon Hogg described it as “desperately sad”. 

Cllr Cook said: “This was a shocking and senseless crime that has stolen a young man’s life, left a family in deep mourning and a community in distress.

“It is vitally important that the whole community pulls together to support each other and to also support the police and help them bring these killers to justice.”

Cllr Hogg said: “It's desperately sad that a young man has lost his life. Local people are upset and really worried about violent crime.

“They've asked the council for more CCTV and the police for more patrols. It's important that we support and reassure this shocked community.”

The Met Police have been contacted for comment.