Swindon stab victim's family urge youngsters to drop weapons
Lee Turner died after being stabbed in Swindon two years ago
Last updated 28th Sep 2023
A woman from Swindon, whose brother was fatally stabbed, is calling on young people across the town to drop their weapons.
Lee Turner was stabbed once in the chest by a 17-year-old boy, in a field between Gorse Hill and Pinehurst, on 10 October 2021.
The 33-year-old, from Park North, died shortly afterwards.
His sister Jordan Turner has since founded the charity 'Change Lives No To Knives'. She meets young people in Swindon, trying to help with their daily challenges and stop them from carrying blades.
It comes as our #KnivesCostLives investigation revealed that reports of serious knife crime have almost tripled across the borough over the past decade.
Jordan has told Greatest Hits Radio about her motivation for tackling the issue.
"My brother was a knife carrier and he got stabbed by a 17-year-old that was also carrying a knife. That is why we try and teach the younger generation that by carrying a knife, it can only go a bad way.
"I put all my heart into Change Lives No To Knives to try and turn a negative thing into a positive thing. It's life changing what has happened. It's not something that you think is ever going to happen to you," she said.
'If you take a life, you should have to sit a few years in jail'
In January 2023, a teenager was found not guilty of Lee's murder at Bristol Crown Court.
This was a retrial, after the first trial in April 2022 concluded with a hung jury. This means the jurors were unable to agree upon a verdict.
The teenager pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. He was jailed for 24 months in total, suspended for two years.
Jordan has told us the whole experience was an emotional ordeal for her family.
"I think the two trials just topped it off completely, hearing what happened (and) how he died.
"I feel like the justice system is a complete shambles. If you take a life, you should at least have to sit a few years in jail. You've taken a son from his Mum, a friend, a brother, an uncle.
"I think if we had got justice, it would have been a lot easier for us to move on as a family. But, because we didn't get any justice, how can you move on?" she said.
At the time, DCI Phil Walker from Wiltshire Police gave his reaction to the verdict.
"The defendant in this case admitted to carrying a knife for his own protection - there can never be any justification for carrying a knife or weapon of any kind.
"If you carry a knife, you are putting yourself in danger of using it yourself, or it being used against you.
"I would like to pay tribute to Lee’s loved ones at this time. It has not been an easy process for them to listen to details of his last moments in court, but they have dealt with this with the utmost dignity," he said.
As her family approaches the two-year anniversary of Lee's death, Jordan says she's trying to "keep strong".
"It's hard, I'll never move on or get over what happened to him. I still wake up and think about it every day," she added.
'More knife-carrying criminals are being sent to jail for longer'
In a statement, a government spokesperson defended its track record on knife crime sentencing.
"More knife-carrying criminals and repeat offenders are being sent to jail for longer than they were a decade ago, following our action to protect the public and make our streets safer.
"There are also more police officers than ever before in England and Wales who will help bring more criminals to justice," they added.