Mums of boys stabbed to death in East Anglia call for knife sales to be monitored
It comes after the Government yesterday announced social media bosses will be held personally liable if their sites don't take down illegal knife adverts
Last updated 14th Nov 2024
Two mums of boys who were stabbed to death in East Anglia are calling for knife sales to be monitored, to better tackle the issue of knife crime.
It comes after the Government yesterday announced social media bosses will be held personally liable if their sites don't take down illegal knife adverts within two days - and face a fine of up to £10,000.
"It's something that the Government needs to look at"
Emma Dix lives in Salhouse and is part of the Government's Knife Crime Coalition.
She's the mum of Joe Dix, who was stabbed to death in Norwich in January 2022: "Social media companies need to look at the videos and images that glorify knives on their sites.
"Our child was criminally exploited and we know that often people in gangs pose with knives, to make their lives look more glamorous.
"It's something that the Government needs to look at."
Magaret Oakes lives in North Walsham.
Her son, Raymond James Quigley, was killed in Ipswich, in January 2023: "The bosses of social media sites are making serious money, so I think the fine should be doubled in price.
"I also think that if they do this a second-time around they should serve jail-time.
"This should also apply to those who import these blades, too."
What is the Government planning to do?
Under the proposals announced yesterday, police will be given the power to issue notices to senior bosses at online companies and order them to remove specific adverts and content, potentially within two days, if the plans progress.
Officers can then send a second notice if the company still fails to act which would hold the executive personally liable for a "significant fine" if they do not take action.
The amount a person could be fined and the maximum penalty is yet to be determined, with responses to the proposals and court guidelines due to be considered.
But consultation documents on the plans suggest a rough example of £10,000 for the worst offenders, the PA news agency understands.
The move is the latest step in efforts by ministers to meet Labour's manifesto pledge of halving knife crime levels over the next decade.
It comes as plans to ban ninja-style swords continue in the wake of campaigning by Pooja Kanda, the mother of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda who was killed in Wolverhampton by two 17-year-olds in 2022 using the weapon bought online using a fake name and collected from a Post Office.
A consultation to decide the definition and description of the weapon is also being published, marking the first step towards bringing the change into law.
"The full force of the law"
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said perpetrators "must face the full force of the law" as she announced the "tough new sanctions", adding: "The epidemic of knife crime that has grown over the last decade is devastating families and communities right across the country.
"That's why this Government has set out an unprecedented mission to halve knife crime over the next decade and today we're taking determined action to get lethal blades off Britain's streets."
"For far too long, deadly weapons have been far too easily accessible online"
Commander Stephen Clayman, who leads the National Police Chiefs' Council's work on knife crime and is carrying out a review into online sales of the weapons for the Home Office, added: "For far too long, deadly weapons have been far too easily accessible online, with content promoting their use for protection and combat rife on many platforms and seemingly little being done to remove it.
"We welcome the chance to take part in the consultation and explore the most effective means of achieving this, including using the findings of the ongoing online sales review."