GUN crime in Essex has risen alarmingly and tougher sentences are needed, according to a victims’ charity.

Chief Constable Jim Barker-McCardle revealed the latest figures, which show incidents up by a third.

Between April and June, there were 48 crimes involving guns, more than in any three-month period in recent history, and up from 32 in the same period last year.

Of the 48 cases, 33 involved air or ball bearing guns.

There were ten handgun incidents and five involved a shotgun.

Ann Oakes-Odger set up charity knifecrimes.org after her son, Westley, was stabbed to death at a cashpoint in Greenstead, Colchester.

She desribed the figures as “alarming’’.

Mrs Oakes-Odger said: “We must ensure robust sentences are imposed for being found with a gun. A five-year mandatory sentence for carrying a gun and four years for carrying a knife without good reason should be imposed.

“When cases go to magistrates’ court, they are not necessarily being sent to Crown Court, where tougher sentences can be imposed.

“If you carry a weapon, you will use it if you find yourself in certain circumstances.”

In contrast, knife crime dropped to its lowest level in more than a year.

There were 108 incidents between April and June, compared to 134 in the same period last year.

Mrs Oakes-Odger said: “That is encouraging, but the figures show we have to continue telling young people not to carry knives.

“Kitchen knives are used the majority of the time.

“They are very dangerous weapons and nine times out of ten end up being used on the people carrying them – they think carrying a knife provides protection, but it does the opposite.

“I am not surprised by the figures and am actually encouraged they have fallen.

“But there are more than a hundred cases and a knife can kill just as effectively as a gun.”