Government promises more action to stop sale of knives
It comes after several shops in Avon and Somerset were caught selling weapons to children
The government says it is determined to do more to end violence on the streets, after Avon and Somerset Police found shops in our region willing to sell knives to children.
Earlier this week (Tuesday 23rd April) officers revealed they had tested what shops would do if approached by a child wanting to buy a weapon and found one in eight happily sold to them.
That is despite selling a knife to under-18s being illegal under the Offensive Weapons Act.
Police cadets visited 80 shops across the force area on Saturday 20th April, including supermarkets and large retailers as well as small independents.
Supported by plain-clothed officers, 10 of the retailers sold the cadets a weapon, against the law.
One retailer sold a machete style knife, while another failed multiple tests on the same day.
One cadet, Cameron, aged 15, said: “It’s good that we’re trying to get knives off the street, with us doing this, hopefully it’s teaching the shop that they need more training.”
Another, aged 13, said: “It’s worrying, it’s not safe for the public if kids are able to buy knives without ID.”
In response a Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK has some of the strongest anti-knife laws in the world, and since 2019 we have taken 138,000 weapons off our streets, but we are determined to do more to end this senseless violence.
“We are also toughening sentences for anyone caught with a banned weapon or found selling knives to under-18s, and are giving police new powers to seize any knife if they believe it might be used in criminality."
The Criminal Justice Bill is currently going through parliament, which, if passed, would increase the maximum penalty for selling weapons to under-18s to two years in prison.
Chief Inspector Mike Vass, Knife Crime Lead for Avon and Somerset Police, said: “Whilst we saw a lot of reassuring best practice by many of the stores visited as part of this operation, any knife sold has the potential to bring tragedy to our communities, something we have seen far too much of in recent months.
“We cannot police our way out of knife crime and serious violence on our own, it needs to be a society-wide approach to address and do all we can to tackle this very real threat to young people, which is why we call on our partners and communities to play their part."
Hits Radio understands sanctions against those shops which failed the test are being considered.
Sarah Saunders from Bristol City Council Trading Standards said: “Trading Standards Officers can offer retailers advice and practical guidance through the No Proof of Age, No Sale scheme which will help them to avoid selling age restricted products to children and to help protect our communities from harm.
“We are committed to working with Avon & Somerset police to reduce knife crime. It is an ongoing threat to our communities, particularly our young people.”
Last year there were 13 knife crime related fatalities across Avon and Somerset, an increase of 160 per cent on the year before.
Since the start of this year four people including three teenage boys have lost their lives on the streets in Bristol alone.