Family of man murdered in Prescot plead with kids to stop carrying knives
One of Adam Ellison's sisters says we have a 'knife epidemic'
The family of a man who was murdered in Prescot after being stabbed are appealing to young people to stop carrying knives.
Adam Ellison was attacked on a night out in Market Square in 2017. No-one has yet been charged with his murder and his family have a made a direct appeal to people with information to come forward.
One of eight arrests made on so-called Mischief Night in Liverpool last week was a 13-year-old boy, who after a stop and search, was found with a large kitchen knife.
The Adam Foundation was set up, in Adam Ellison's memory, to educate children and young people about the consequences of carrying a knife.
Nicola Ellison, Adam's sister, said:
"It's quite a powerful word, but it's an epidemic. It is. Why do they go out with these knives? They say they take them out for our own protection. The thing is - you're going out with a knife, so your intent is to do harm. Why go out with a knife? You go out with your phone, some money, your keys, why on earth would you go out with something that can kill somebody or kill you.
"These knives could be used against the person who is holding it.
Joanne Ellison, Adam's other sister, said:
"We spoke to somebody who held a knife, a young boy. At first, when we were speaking to him he was a little bit like hmm, by the end of it, he was so upset and I believe he's stopped carrying a knife now after telling him Adam's story.
"I say to them children - stay at home. You don't have to go out (carrying a knife).
Joyce Ellison, Adam's mum, said:
"We've all got these little lockets and the last three words our Adam said to me that night was 'love you mum'. They're on here and that's his fingerprint and we showed this boy 'this is what we've got off Adam, would you like your mum to be like us, so upset and not having you any more in her life?'
"It did get through to him. Hopefully people will listen and not carry knives."
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