It was in Victorian times that the public were first given the right to enter and enjoy large green spaces for free as urban areas quickly grew in size.
But while they have always been intended as pleasant spaces for the benefit of all, some parks are becoming hotspots for crimes from rape to murder and robbery.
Knife attacks, thefts and sexual assaults have also been reported alongside a trend of anti-social behaviour that police and councils are trying to fight back against.
In London, crimes recorded by the Royal Parks have nearly doubled in two years – while serious assaults have taken place in other green spaces around the UK.
MailOnline has looked at some of the worst crimes committed in parks within some of the country’s most dangerous cities to identify some of the most notorious.
BRADFORD
Crime rankings – UK: 1st / Europe: 1st / World: 36th
Bradford is Europe’s most dangerous city, according to the Numbeo Crime Index – and one of its parks has seen a number of violent incidents in recent years.
At Grosvenor Park in March 2023, a 15-year-old boy was almost killed in a shocking stabbing during a pre-arranged fight that left him with life-threatening injuries.
Faaris Khalid, 17, was later sentenced to five years and four months in detention for the attack which saw the victim suffer a collapsed lung and brain damage.
A 15-year-old boy was almost killed at Grosvenor Park in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in 2023
Faaris Khalid, 17, got five years and four months in detention for the attack at Grosvenor Park
The Numbeo Crime Index ranks 388 global cities by crime. A red circle means it is dangerous
A group of youths had gathered to watch a fight organised between two other schoolboys – one of whom was a friend of Khalid, then 15.
Khalid was at the park to back his friend while the victim went with a friend to watch the fight – but the victim was then attacked by youths before Khalid stabbed him.
The Numbeo index also ranks Bradford as the world’s 36th most dangerous city out of 388 on the list – above the likes of Bogota, Chicago and Marseille.
COVENTRY
Crime rankings – UK: 2nd / Europe: 3rd / World: 44th
Coventry is the second most dangerous city in the UK according to the Numbeo index, and the 44th in the world – ahead of Manila, Atlanta and Santiago.
The city’s Gosford Green Park was the scene of a murder in August 2023 over the theft of a bicycle which saw three men jailed – two of them for life.
Momoh Sesay and Arhin Tutu were convicted of murdering Marvin Warmington, while a third man, Daniel Israel, was found guilty of manslaughter.
Gosford Green Park in Coventry was the scene of the murder of Marvin Warmington in 2023
Momoh Sesay, Arhin Tutu and Daniel Israel were all jailed over the attack in Coventry
Marvin Warmington, the murder victim, was described as ‘extremely kind and empathetic’
Mr Warmington, described as ‘extremely kind and empathetic’, was stabbed in the heart following an argument about the theft of a bicycle, according to police.
Elsewhere in Coventry, a gunman shot a man in the face at Caludon Castle Park in October 2024, in what police believe could have been mistaken identity.
Raydell Lennox, 19, fired a weapon which left his 24-year-old victim with serious and life-changing facial injuries. He was later jailed for 32 years in May this year.
BIRMINGHAM
Crime rankings – UK: 3rd / Europe: 4th / World: 47th
Britain’s second city comes third in the rankings for the most dangerous and is 47th in the world – ahead of Houston, Buenos Aires and Naples. It is also fourth in Europe.
One of the most shocking incidents in recent years saw a gang of six caught on CCTV laughing and re-enacting a murder after killing a man at Perry Hall Park.
The three men and three teenage boys attacked Michael Obasi, 38, as he enjoyed his usual evening walk at the park in the Perry Barr area of the city in March 2024.
Perry Hall Park in Birmingham was the scene of a murder involving six attackers in March 2024
Michael Obasi was killed at Perry Hall Park in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham in March 2024
Manuel Filipache, Ion Morar, and Ion Calin were all sentenced over the murder in Birmingham
They robbed the father of his torch and a gold chain before leaving him for dead with around 100 external injuries – and his body was later found by a dog walker.
Manuel Filipache, Ion Morar, and Ion Calin, along with the three teens who cannot be named due to their age, were later given sentences of between nine and 29 years.
Police later said Perry Hall Park was ‘once a place where Michael and his family made happy memories together and that has now been taken away from them’.
MANCHESTER
Crime rankings – UK: 4th / Europe: 12th / World: 89th
Manchester comes fourth in the list of most dangerous UK cities, but is 12th on the list for Europe – below the likes of Montpellier, Liege and Paris. Globally, it is 89th.
One of its most dangerous parks is Penn Park off Maher Gardens in the Old Trafford area, where a killer chased and ‘ferociously’ attacked a homeless man.
Joshua Carroll, 30, was later convicted of murdering 51-year-old Headley ‘Barry’ Thomas after stamping on his head at the park in September 2022.
Penn Park off Maher Gardens in the Old Trafford area of Manchester – the scene of a murder
Joshua Carroll (left), 30, was convicted of killing Headley ‘Barry’ Thomas (right) at the park
Carroll was caught on CCTV walking through a puddle to clean his bloodstained shoes following the attack on Mr Thomas, who had been living in a tent in the park.
He was jailed for life for the attack on the homeless man, who had been riding a bike through the street and was described as ‘funny, brave and talented’ by his sister.
LONDON
Crime rankings – UK: 5th / Europe: 15th / World: 100th
Despite being the capital, London is only the 15th most dangerous city for crime in Europe and the fifth worst in the UK. It comes 100th out of all 385 global locations.
But crimes recorded by the Royal Parks, which manages 5,000 acres of green space including Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, have nearly doubled in two years.
The charity recorded 101 incidents of ‘crime or criminal damage’ in its latest 2023/24 year, up from 76 in 2022/23; 55 in 2021/22; and 44 in 2020/21.
A man was chased through Hyde Park by a gang wielding machetes in June 2021
A standoff in Hyde Park in April 2019 as thugs smashed bottles and chased each other
Sexual offences, phone thefts and drug dealing are among the crimes most often reported, while cyclists have been threatened and had expensive bikes stolen.
Hyde Park has seen some terrifying crimes – including a man being chased through it in June 2021 by a gang wielding machetes before being hacked to the ground.
Back in April 2019, videos emerged of a gangland-style standoff as thugs smashed bottles and chased each other with huge knives across the park.
Terrified cyclist have reached out to police amid a crimewave in Regent’s Park in London
Regent’s Park in North West London has also witnessed knife attacks and violent thefts in recent years – with cyclists particularly fearful of being targeted.
In February this year, cyclist Patrick Conneely had his £4,200 road bike robbed by hammer-wielding thugs during his morning ride through the park.
NOTTINGHAM
Crime rankings – UK: 6th / Europe: 26th / World: 132nd
The sixth worst city for crime in the UK is Nottingham, which is 132nd on the global list – below Barcelona, Turin and Miami; but ahead of Dallas, New York and Cairo.
One park that has seen a number of criminal incidents in recent years is the Forest Recreation Ground, which is an open space that features a children’s play area.
On July 9, extra police patrols were brought in after a woman in her 20s was grabbed by the arm by a man following her. She managed to break free and run.
Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham has had a number of criminal incidents in recent years
Sex offender Mohammed Darweesh was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison
Police linked the suspect to another incident at a nearby school, where a teacher reported a man matching the same description acting suspiciously outside on July 3.
Back in July 2024, drunk sex offender Mohammed Darweesh, 24, raped a 17-year-old stranger in the same park – and was given a jail sentence of more than seven years.
More recently the park’s community garden was also targeted in a case of plant crime in April – when roses and crops grown by volunteers were mysteriously stolen.
LIVERPOOL
Crime rankings – UK: 7th / Europe: 33rd / World: 155th
Seventh on the list is Liverpool, which is 155th most dangerous city in the world – ahead of Bremen, Tunis and Rome but below Orlando, Toulouse and Bali.
A key area for trouble is Chavasse Park in the city centre, where police have brought in extra patrols in an attempt to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
Residents say huge groups of gangs have been gathering in the area and intimidating passers-by in Liverpool city centre amid claims drug dealing is taking place.
Anti-social behaviour has become a problem at Chavasse Park in Liverpool city centre
Other people have reported being spat at, kicked and verbally abused – with large numbers of young people congregating near the Liverpool One retail area.
Merseyside Police has issued crime prevention orders to try to reduce criminal behaviour and urged parents to ensure they know what their children are doing.
BELFAST
Crime rankings – UK: 8th / Europe: 40th / World: 171st
While Belfast might traditionally be perceived as being dangerous, it is only the eighth worse in Britain and the 171st in the world – behind Denver and Istanbul.
One park that has suffered significant anti-social behaviour, particularly from children, is Falls Park – a popular space with families in the west of the city.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said an incident that saw a 15-year-old boy seriously assaulted in the park in May 2024 had led to ‘nervousness’ locally.
Falls Park, a popular space in the west of Belfast, has had a couple of recent violent incidents
Belfast City Council said at the time that it was ‘working closely with the PSNI and youth workers, intervening in several altercations and dispersing those involved’.
The incident came under a year after youths were filmed attacking a boy in the same park in June 2023 and began beating him up following a demand for money.
GLASGOW
Crime rankings – UK: 9th / Europe: 37th / World: 188th
The most populated city in Scotland comes in ninth place in the UK rankings for crime – and 188th in the world – ahead of Frankfurt and Palermo but behind Stockholm.
One of the most well-publicised crimes in a park in Glasgow in recent years saw a schoolboy kill a fellow teenager in a row over £50 in May last year.
The 14-year-old stabbed Kory McCrimmon, 16, in the heart at Greenfield Park in the city’s east end. The attacker, who was not named, was later locked up for five years.
Greenfield Park in the east end of Glasgow was the location of a fatal stabbing in May 2024
Easterhouse Football Academy player Kory McCrimmon, 16, was killed at Greenfield Park
Kory – who played for Easterhouse Football Academy – had no previous convictions, but he and his killer were known as ‘rivals’ from different parts of the city.
They had been regularly in touch on Instagram and were initially on ‘good terms’ before a ‘falling out’ over £50 – when the killer refused to pay the older boy back.
The two sides eventually arranged to meet in Greenfield Park for a confrontation – the killer part of a gang who stormed in wielding batons, bats and bladed weapons.
They challenged Kory and his friends to a fight but the teenager fled when he spotted his attacker had a knife. However, during the confrontation Kory was stabbed.
LEEDS
Crime rankings – UK: 10th / Europe: 51st / World: 193rd
Completing the top ten for the UK’s most dangerous locations is Leeds, with the West Yorkshire city in 193rd place globally – above Tampa, Genoa and Berlin.
The Woodhouse Moor park in the Hyde Park area of Leeds is particularly notorious for crime – with students in the city actively discouraged from using it at night.
University of Leeds graduate student Harry Kitcher told The Tab in January that he was held at knifepoint by a group of young men in the park while on his way to work.
The Woodhouse Moor park in the Hyde Park area of Leeds is notorious for crime
The group stole the graphic designer’s phone and threw his work into the muddy surroundings, as well as throwing his house keys into the distance of the park.
Mr Kitcher said he went directly to the police station after the attack, only to be told by detectives that he was the third victim of attacks in the area that evening.
In December 2023, a five-month-old girl was found with serious injuries in the park and later died after her mother Hayley Macfarlane smothered her while on a walk.
Macfarlane, 39, later admitted infanticide. She had been suffering from postnatal depression and postpartum psychosis and was given an indefinite hospital order.
The Numbeo Crime Index, which MailOnline used for comparitive crime levels, is compiled from global survey responses and has been updated regularly since 2012.
It covers general perception of crime levels; perceived safety during day and night; concerns about specific crimes; property crime severity; and violent crime severity.
It is seen as a respected comparative tool globally because government crime data in different countries can often be patchy or withheld for political or social reasons.
