There were almost 50,000 knife-enabled crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales to the year ending June 2022
On 20 August 2021 Jake Pickstock was a victim of a serious knife-crime incident whilst out at a club in Llandudno.
Through no fault of his own, his neck was slashed and he found himself fighting for his life.
With the help of Janet Finch-Saunders MS, they have set up #OperationPickstock so to raise awareness of knife crime amongst the younger generation, night time economy, and throughout the local community to highlight the damage knife crime can have on multiple lives.
Jake and Janet have worked with several stakeholders to establish a campaign to try and save lives and discourage people from taking knives on nights out across North Wales.
The campaign is seeing:
- Pubs and clubs across Llandudno displaying #OperationPickstock poster
- Llew Jones and Arriva Buses Wales are displaying the #OperationPickstock poster on their fleet
- Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) are arranging for posters to be placed in taxis operating in Llandudno
- Transport for Wales have committed to displaying the #OperationPickstock poster at railway stations in North Wales
- CCBC and Llandudno Pub Watch will be providing training for pub staff
- North Wales Police are providing free metal detector wands
- North Wales Police are arranging for an amnesty bin to be placed at Llandudno Railway Station
- Janet Finch-Saunders MS and Llandudno Pub Watch are leading the social media campaign so to boost awareness of #OperationPickstock
Last month, during Operation Scepter, over 700 knives were handed in across North Wales. #OperationPickstock looks to build on that national week of action against knife crime, and help ensure that our communities are safer.
If you have concerns about someone you know or care about, who is carrying or hiding a knife call the Police on 101 or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or the Fearless campaign website https://www.fearless.org/en/give-info. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
Firsthand account by Jake Pickstock
When I was first asked to write this I envisioned it would be easy to just rewrite the past, but who knew it would bring so many unanswered questions to my life, questions that I think need answering. I don’t want anyone reading this to confuse me with anyone that is heroic or brave. It’s good etiquette when you go on a night out to return home in one piece. Ending up in hospital doesn’t qualify as heroic. I am a survivor. I want you to know that what you are reading today is written by a very, very lucky person, and I hope at the end of this story you can agree with me on that.
20 August 2021 started off as a real good day. I turned up to my full time job of 5 years with my resignation letter in my hand ready to move forward with my growing business full time. Within 18 hours, my whole life had changed dramatically. I was lying in my own pool of blood, no idea what was going on, in and out of consciousness. Fighting for my life. If you're looking for heroes in this story, it's the doorstaff and staff at Club147 that stemmed the bleeding, caught the offender, managed the crowd, shut the place down and used every ounce of first aid they had until the ambulance crew turned up.
After a day at work as usual, a few friends and I decided to go Romeos, an Italian in Llandudno, for a meal, and then up to Cheshire Oaks to play bowling (I'm terrible at bowling by the way). After a hyped up few hours of pretending we can bowl and having a great laugh, we headed for home around 12am. On the return to Llandudno, 2 of us decided to stop over in Club147 for a drink before calling it a night. We walked in to pay the entry fee before grabbing a drink at the bar before finding a table at one of the booths on the right hand side as you enter the club. The atmosphere there was cool, busy but not overly busy, and the music was quite loud as you would expect at this time in a club. I didn't really recognise many people.
We sat down talking in good spirits, I went to the bar and got another drink just before my friend who was with me went for a visit to the toilet. This part is where the story is a little broken in my mind but I’ll talk you through the parts i remember. It felt like quite quickly after my friend had left, another guy approached the table we were sitting at and started talking to me. I can't remember anything of the conversation but I do remember him being quite close to me, uncomfortably close in terms of personal space, but I didn't react. I think because the music was so loud it was hard to hear anything from a normal distance. Within the blink of an eye it seems, I was being pinned to the bench seat in the little C shaped booth I was sitting at and my initial reaction was to push off, being trapped in a bit of a corner was difficult, then within another split second I felt a strike to my neck then almost instantly to my head. I didn’t really feel anything at the time but I thought I had been punched and got up quickly with my hand on my head. As I looked at my hand, I could see a pool of blood. Even at this point, I still hadn't realised what had just happened.
After seeing the insane amount of blood that was pooling out of me, adrenaline kicked in. My mind and vision had started to go fuzzy, heart was racing to a point I could feel and hear it, music went quieter and quieter and bam. I was on the floor.
The next thing I remember is opening my eyes with what felt like a ring of people around me, some I recognised and some I didn’t. I could still feel my heart racing, with one person at my head and one at my neck. I still did not believe I had been slashed with a knife. Why would I believe it, right? We were in Llandudno, a little seaside resort in North Wales, not a big city.
At this point, as I’m on the floor, consciousness was weathering out, I'd love to write how courageous and brave I was, but that would be a massive lie. This probably had to me the most emotionful and scary time of my life. Every emotion was flooding through my body and I think some part of me just wanted to give up.
At some point vaguely in my memory I was escorted to an ambulance on a stretcher with a police officer alongside. That poor officer had to deal with every single one of my emotions. I was totally erratic with no idea what was going on. I don’t really remember the ambulance journey but I do remember arriving at the hospital. I spent a lot of time in hospitals when I was younger and the thought of being there absolutely terrifies me. I remember being in this little room, had no clue what was going on. That renowned hospital smell of antiseptic was strong, bleeping from all sorts of machines ringing through my ears, a strange stinging coming from my left ear, and intense pain in my head. There was an army of doctors around me, looking at me, poking me and holding me down. I remember the fear through my body, my heart racing, and racing and then darkness. Little did I know, I had just had a seizure.
I woke up the next day with my dad walking through the hospital room door. At this point, reality had set in, I had been slashed with a knife.
This sparked so many unanswered questions for me, to name a few, who did it? How did this happen? And most importantly… Why me? In the coming days, some of my questions were answered, but still some remain unaddressed.
Within the coming weeks of recovery, uncertainty remained in myself, my values in life had started to change. My daily thoughts and feelings had changed, and most importantly, a new array of unanswered questions were thriving through my mind. I have always portrayed myself as a mentally strong person, but the last 14 months could have easily broken me if it wasn't for the people who I have around me. The physical impact of it healed, however the mental impact stays with you for a long time. Mental health is a very important aspect of life, but I think that's a story for next time.
The thing is, it wasn't just me who suffered this attack. One of my unanswered questions that repeatedly crossed my mind is how about all the others. The people who were in the club, the staff who saved my life, the staff who had to witness it. How have they suffered, felt or dealt with it? But it doesnt stop there, the chain reaction of people affected goes further than you would think. How about the attacker? 19 years old and ruined 10 years of his life. How do his mum and dad feel? They've lost their son for 10 years.
The point is, look how many people have been affected from 1 incident that happened in under 40 seconds.
Lifelong damage in 40 Seconds. Now that's a scary thought. This is why I want to do something about it. Unfortunately, I can’t change what has happened, but what we can change is turning this attack into a positive for North Wales and the fight against knife crime nationwide. My life is focused on achievable goals. Preventing an attack like this in the future certainly is achievable.
With the help of the office of Janet Finch-Saunders MS we have set up #OperationPickstock to raise awareness of knife crime amongst the younger generation, night time economy and throughout the local community to highlight the damage knife crime can have on multiple lives. We have already lent a voice to Operation Sceptre in collaboration with North Wales Police, and in the coming months will be bringing more content on what we are doing locally and nationally, to help prevent knife crime.
Jake
Cofnodwyd bron i 50,000 o droseddau cyllyll gan yr heddlu yng Nghymru a Lloegr yn y flwyddyn hyd ddiwedd mis Mehefin 2022.
Ar 20 Awst 2021, dioddefodd Jake Pickstock ymosodiad trosedd cyllell difrifol mewn clwb nos yn Llandudno.
Heb fai o gwbl arno, cafodd ei drywanu yn ei wddf a bu’n brwydro am ei fywyd.
Gyda chymorth Janet Finch-Saunders AS, sefydlwyd #YmgyrchPickstock er mwyn codi ymwybyddiaeth o droseddau cyllyll ymysg y genhedlaeth iau, economi’r nos, a thrwy'r gymuned leol i dynnu sylw at y difrod y gall troseddau cyllyll ei gael ar lawer o fywydau.
Mae Jake a Janet wedi gweithio gyda nifer o randdeiliaid i sefydlu ymgyrch i geisio achub bywydau ac annog pobl i beidio â chario cyllyll ar nosweithiau allan ledled y Gogledd.
Mae'r ymgyrch yn gweld:
- Tafarndai a chlybiau ledled Llandudno yn arddangos poster #YmgyrchPickstock
- Llew Jones a Bysiau Arriva Cymru yn arddangos y poster #YmgyrchPickstock ar eu bysiau
- Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy (CBSC) yn trefnu bod posteri'n cael eu gosod mewn tacsis sy'n gweithredu yn Llandudno
- Trafnidiaeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i arddangos y poster #OperationPickstock mewn gorsafoedd rheilffordd yn y Gogledd
- CBSC a Llandudno Pub Watch yn darparu hyfforddiant i staff tafarndai
- Heddlu Gogledd Cymru yn darparu ffyn datgelu metel am ddim
- Heddlu Gogledd Cymru yn trefnu i osod bin amnest yng Ngorsaf Reilffordd Llandudno
- Janet Finch-Saunders AS a Llandudno Pub Watch yn arwain yr ymgyrch yn y cyfryngau cymdeithasol er mwyn hybu ymwybyddiaeth o #OperationPickstock
Fis diwethaf, yn ystod Ymgyrch Scepter, cafodd dros 700 o gyllyll eu rhoi i’r heddlu ledled y Gogledd. Mae #OperationPickstock yn ceisio adeiladu ar yr wythnos genedlaethol honno o weithredu yn erbyn troseddau cyllyll, a helpu i sicrhau bod ein cymunedau yn fwy diogel.
Os oes gennych chi bryderon am rywun rydych chi'n ei adnabod neu'n poeni amdano, sy'n cario neu'n cuddio cyllell ffoniwch yr Heddlu ar 101 neu CrimeStoppers yn ddienw ar 0800 555 111, neu wefan ymgyrch Fearless https://www.fearless.org/en/give-info. Deialwch 999 bob tro mewn argyfwng.
Hanes o lygad y ffynnon gan Jake Pickstock
Pan ges i gais i ysgrifennu hyn gyntaf, roeddwn i'n rhagweld y byddai'n hawdd ailysgrifennu'r gorffennol, ond pwy fyddai wedi meddwl y byddai'n codi cymaint o gwestiynau heb eu hateb yn fy mywyd, cwestiynau sydd angen eu hateb yn fy marn i. Dydw i ddim eisiau i neb sy'n darllen hwn fy nghamgymryd am rywun arwrol neu ddewr. Pan fyddwch chi'n mynd ar noson allan, y peth cwrtais i’w wneud yw dychwelyd adref mewn un darn. Dyw deffro yn yr ysbyty ddim yn beth arwrol o gwbl. Rydw i'n oroeswr. Rydw i am i chi wybod bod yr hyn rydych chi'n ei ddarllen heddiw wedi'i ysgrifennu gan berson lwcus iawn, iawn, a gobeithio ar ddiwedd y stori hon y gallwch gytuno â mi ar hynny.
Dechreuodd 20 Awst 2021 yn ddiwrnod da iawn. Cyrhaeddais fy swydd lawn amser ers 5 mlynedd gyda’m llythyr ymddiswyddo yn fy llaw yn barod i symud ymlaen gyda fy musnes newydd yn llawn amser. O fewn 18 awr, roedd fy mywyd wedi newid yn llwyr. Roeddwn i'n gorwedd mewn pwll o waed, fy ngwaed i, heb syniad beth oedd yn digwydd, yn colli ymwybyddiaeth. Yn brwydro am fy mywyd. Os ydych chi'n chwilio am arwyr yn y stori hon, staff y drws a’r bar yn Club147 fyddai’r rheini. Nhw wnaeth atal llif y gwaed, dal y troseddwr, rheoli'r dorf, cau'r lle i lawr a defnyddio pob owns o gymorth cyntaf oedd ganddyn nhw nes i'r criw ambiwlans gyrraedd.
Ar ôl diwrnod arferol yn y gwaith, penderfynodd criw bach o ffrindiau a minnau fynd i Romeos, bwyty Eidalaidd yn Llandudno, am bryd o fwyd, ac yna i fyny i Cheshire Oaks er mwyn chwarae bowlio (dwi'n ofnadwy am fowlio gyda llaw). Ar ôl ychydig oriau gwirion o gogio ein bod yn gallu bowlio a chwerthin mawr, dyma ni’n ei throi hi am adref tua hanner nos. Ar ôl dychwelyd i Landudno, penderfynodd 2 ohonom ni alw yn Club147 am ddiod cyn mynd adref. Cerddon ni mewn i dalu'r ffi mynediad cyn prynu diod wrth y bar a dod o hyd i fwrdd yn un o'r bythau ar yr ochr dde wrth i chi fynd i mewn i'r clwb. Roedd yr awyrgylch yno yn hamddenol braf, yn brysur ond ddim yn rhy brysur, ac roedd y gerddoriaeth yn eithaf uchel fel y byddech chi'n ei ddisgwyl mewn clwb. Doeddwn i ddim wir yn adnabod llawer o bobl.
Eisteddon ni i siarad mewn hwyliau da, es i'r bar a chael diod arall ychydig cyn i fy ffrind oedd gyda fi fynd i’r tŷ bach. Dyma le mae’r stori’n dechrau mynd yn niwlog, ond rydw i am siarad drwy'r rhannau rwy'n eu cofio. Yn eithaf cyflym ar ôl i fy ffrind adael, daeth dyn arall at ein bwrdd a dechrau siarad gyda mi. Alla i ddim cofio dim byd o'r sgwrs ond dwi'n cofio ei fod o'n eithaf agos ata i, yn annifyr o agos yn nhermau gofod personol, ond wnes i ddim ymateb. Dwi'n meddwl bod y gerddoriaeth mor uchel fel ei bod hi'n anodd clywed unrhyw beth o bellter arferol. O fewn amrantiad, roeddwn i'n cael fy hoelio i’r sedd yn y bwth bach siâp C lle’r oeddwn i'n eistedd a'm hymateb greddfol oedd gwthio i ffwrdd, roedd cael fy nal mewn cornel yn anodd, yna o fewn eiliad arall teimlais ergyd ar fy ngwddf yna un arall ar fy mhen bron yn syth wedyn. Wnes i ddim wir teimlo unrhyw beth ar y pryd ond roeddwn i'n meddwl fy mod i wedi cael fy nyrnio a chodais yn gyflym gyda fy llaw ar fy mhen. Wrth i mi edrych ar fy llaw, roeddwn i'n gallu gweld pwll o waed. Hyd yn oed bryd hynny, doeddwn i dal ddim wedi sylweddoli beth oedd newydd ddigwydd.
Ar ôl gweld sut roedd y gwaed yn pistyllu allan ohona i, dyma’r adrenalin yn dod. Roedd fy meddwl a'm golwg wedi dechrau mynd yn niwlog, fy nghalon yn rasio i bwynt lle’r oeddwn i'n gallu ei deimlo a'i glywed, y gerddoriaeth yn mynd yn dawelach ac yn dawelach yna bang. Roeddwn i ar y llawr.
Y peth nesaf rwy'n ei gofio ydy agor fy llygaid a gweld yr hyn oedd yn teimlo fel cylch o bobl o'm cwmpas, rhai roeddwn i'n eu ‘nabod a rhai doeddwn i ddim. Roeddwn i'n dal i allu teimlo fy nghalon yn rasio, gydag un person wrth fy mhen ac un wrth fy ngwddf. Doeddwn i dal ddim yn credu fy mod wedi cael fy nhrywanu gyda chyllell. Pam ar y ddaear fyddwn i'n meddwl hynny? Yn Llandudno oedden ni, tref fach glan môr yn y Gogledd, nid dinas fawr.
Ar y pwynt hwn, tra fy mod i ar y llawr, yn colli ymwybyddiaeth, byddwn i wrth fy modd yn ysgrifennu pa mor ddewr oeddwn i, ond celwydd noeth fyddai hynny. Mae'n debyg mai dyma’r amser mwyaf emosiynol a brawychus yn fy mywyd. Roedd pob emosiwn yn llifo drwy fy nghorff a dwi'n meddwl bod rhyw ran ohona i eisiau rhoi'r ffidil yn y to.
Mae gen i frith gof o gael fy hebrwng i ambiwlans ar stretsier gyda phlismon wrth fy ochr. Roedd rhaid i'r plismon hwnnw ddelio â phob un o fy emosiynau. Roeddwn i’n anwadal a doedd gen i ddim syniad beth oedd yn digwydd. Dwi ddim wir yn cofio'r daith ambiwlans ond dwi'n cofio cyrraedd yr ysbyty. Treuliais lawer o amser mewn ysbytai pan o'n i'n iau ac mae meddwl am fod yno yn codi braw arna i. Dwi'n cofio bod yn yr ystafell fach yma, heb glem beth oedd yn mynd ymlaen. Roedd yr arogl ysbyty nodweddiadol o antiseptig yn gryf, bipian o bob math o beiriannau yn canu drwy fy nghlustiau, poen rhyfedd yn dod o fy nghlust chwith, a chur pen ofnadwy. Roedd 'na fyddin o feddygon o'm cwmpas, yn edrych arna i, yn fy mhrocio ac yn fy nal i lawr. Dwi'n cofio'r ofn yn hyrddio drwy fy nghorff, fy nghalon yn rasio, a rasio ac yna tywyllwch. Ychydig a wyddwn i, roeddwn i newydd gael ffit.
Deffrais y diwrnod wedyn gyda fy nhad yn cerdded drwy ddrws ystafell yr ysbyty. Erbyn hyn doedd dim gwadu’r realiti, roeddwn i wedi cael fy nhrywanu gyda chyllell.
Cododd hyn gymaint o gwestiynau i mi – pwy oedd wedi gwneud hyn i mi? Sut digwyddodd hyn? Ac yn bwysicaf oll... Pam fi? Yn y dyddiau nesaf, cefais ateb i rai o'm cwestiynau, ond roedd rhai yn dal i fod yn ddirgelwch.
Wrth i mi wella dros yr wythnosau nesaf, roeddwn i’n ansicr iawn, roedd fy ngwerthoedd mewn bywyd wedi dechrau newid. Roedd fy meddyliau a'm teimladau dyddiol wedi newid, ac yn bwysicaf oll, roedd cwestiynau di-ri newydd yn chwalu fy mhen. Dwi wastad wedi portreadu fy hun fel person sy'n gryf yn feddyliol, ond fe allai'r 14 mis diwethaf fod wedi fy nhorri i'n hawdd oni bai am y bobl sydd gen i o'm cwmpas. Gwellodd y clwyfau corfforol ond mae’r clwyfau meddyliol yn aros gyda chi am amser hir. Mae iechyd meddwl yn agwedd bwysig iawn ar fywyd, ond dwi'n meddwl mai stori ar gyfer y tro nesaf yw honno.
Y peth ydi, nid dim ond fi ddioddefodd yr ymosodiad yma. Un o'r cwestiynau a oedd yn croesi fy meddwl dro ar ôl tro oedd beth am y lleill i gyd. Y bobl oedd yn y clwb, y staff a achubodd fy mywyd, y staff a fu’n dyst i’r cyfan. Sut maen nhw wedi dioddef, teimlo neu ddelio ag ef? Ond nid yw'n stopio yno, mae’r gadwyn o bobl sy'n cael eu heffeithio yn mynd ymhellach nag y byddech chi'n meddwl. Beth am yr ymosodwr? 19 oed ac wedi difetha 10 mlynedd o'i fywyd. Sut mae ei fam a'i dad yn teimlo? Maen nhw wedi colli eu mab am 10 mlynedd.
Y pwynt yw, edrychwch ar faint o bobl sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio gan 1 digwyddiad a ddigwyddodd mewn llai na 40 eiliad.
Difrod sy’n para oes mewn 40 eiliad. Dyna chi frawychus. Dyma pam dwi eisiau gwneud rhywbeth am y peth. Yn anffodus, alla i ddim newid yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd, ond yr hyn y gallwn ei newid yw troi'r ymosodiad hwn yn un positif i Ogledd Cymru a'r frwydr yn erbyn troseddau cyllyll ledled y wlad. Ffocws fy mywyd yw cyrraedd targedau realistig. Mae atal ymosodiad fel hwn yn y dyfodol yn sicr yn bosib.
Gyda chymorth swyddfa Janet Finch-Saunders AS, rydym wedi sefydlu #OperationPickstock i godi ymwybyddiaeth o droseddau cyllyll ymhlith y genhedlaeth iau, yr economi nos a ledled y gymuned leol i dynnu sylw at y dinistr y gall troseddau cyllyll ei wneud i sawl bywyd. Rydym eisoes wedi dangos ein cefnogaeth i Operation Sceptre ar y cyd â Heddlu Gogledd Cymru, ac yn y misoedd nesaf byddwn yn dod â mwy o gynnwys ar yr hyn rydym ni’n ei wneud yn lleol ac yn genedlaethol, i helpu i atal troseddau cyllyll.
Jake