"United approach" needed to tackle serious violence in West Country
The call comes as two teenagers begin indefinite prison sentences for the murder of Owen Dunn in Swindon
There's calls for a united approach to tackle serious violence across the West Country after the sentencing of two teenagers for murder.
Tyler Hunt (18) from Park South in Swindon and a 15-year-old were both given indefinite sentences last week (5 January) for killing Owen Dunn in the town, with machetes.
Their sentencing for the attack in December 2022 follows other fatal incidents across Bristol, Bath, wider Somerset and Gloucestershire in recent months.
With knife crime apparently on the rise across the region, Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson says more must be done.
Speaking on Friday he said: "Today’s sentence will never bring Owen back and this tragedy is something his family and friends will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
"I’d like to pay tribute to them for setting up Owen’s World in his name and using the circumstances surrounding his death to try and make our streets safer for young people across Swindon.
"However, today’s sentencing does send out the message that if you are involved in gang violence in Wiltshire, you will be caught, and the consequences will have a serious impact upon your life."
Mr Wilkinson says he hopes Hunt and the younger boy use their time behind bars "to find a way to make a more meaningful contribution to society" once they are released.
"The question for my office and our partners, is how we make the right interventions to prevent gang related violence escalating to a point where it ends in a tragedy such as this," he said.
"In Swindon, we have one of the country’s leading Youth Justice Services, which is working hard to prevent young people from making the wrong choices in life and if they do, providing them with the help and support they need to become productive members of society and repair the harm they may have caused."
Owen himself was found to be carrying a knife at the time he was killed.
Nationwide young people regularly report feeling the need to carry a weapon as a form of protection, but doing so in fact puts a person at more risk of harm.
As mentioned, since Owen's death his family have created a charity in his name called Owen's World, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime.
The charity funded Swindon's first "Bleed Kit", which was installed last May outside the town's John Moulton Community Centre.
Avon and Somerset Police are in the process of installing dozens of similar kits across their force area, including in Bristol, Bath, Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
They feature tourniquets, bandages and other equipment needed to help stop a major bleed and are being rolled out specifically to prevent deaths from knife crime.
Wiltshire's PCC is urging all members of society to help prevent more fatal incidents.
"The only effective way to tackle serious violence on our streets is through working together," he said.
"I implore anyone who knows of friends or relatives who carry knives to get in touch, because we can help and offer them a way out before it’s too late."