Boy held after Newcastle teenager stabbed to death

LONDON (Reuters) - A 16-year-old boy was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of murder after a teenager died following a stabbing incident.

Mark Smith, 16, from Newcastle, died after an argument on a street corner in the west of the city on Wednesday.

He was found with a stab wound to his neck at 11:20 p.m. and taken to Newcastle General Hospital but died later.

Northumbria Police believe there were a number of people in the area at the time of the attack who may have seen what happened.

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Ford, who is leading the investigation, said: "Knife crime is completely unacceptable and it's vital that people come forward with information."

The death is the latest in a spate of knife murders of young men in inner cities that has shocked local communities and dominated newspaper headlines.

A senior judge this week said a growing knife culture was causing "death and devastation" and had to be stopped.