Teesside mum of stabbing victim: 'Ban on bladed weapons should have come sooner'
New legislation making these large knives illegal is expected later
Laws to ban machetes and zombie-style knives are going to be introduced to Parliament today, just two weeks after Idris Elba launched his campaign for action on knife crime.
The Government is expected to announce new legislation today making many big knives illegal to possess, buy, sell or manufacture in the UK.
The Government put forward plans to ban some zombie-style knives in August last year but has been criticised for how long it's taken them to act.
Figures show hundreds of people die each year (261 in the year ending March 2022) after being attacked with sharp objects, predominantly knives.
Theresa Cave has been raising awareness about knife crime across the North East and Teesside ever since her son was stabbed to death in Redcar in 2003.
She set up The Chris Cave Foundation two years later.
Theresa said: "Christopher was killed in an unprovoked knife attack. He was stabbed in the back before he could even get up off the sofa. They booted the door in. It was horrendous. It was the worst night of my life and to this day, I'm still living it every day. It's like an alarm clock, it's constantly set to that time and day.
"This ban should have happened 10-15 years ago when we were campaigning to have this happen. We understand totally. I've been an activist and a campaigner now for 20 years. I've been educating young people for 20 years and I've been banging on the Government's door for 20 years, when Christopher was murdered, for changes to be made and this should have been done then.
"You can't ban a knife. They're going to ban the sale of the knives which is good, that's a start but that's not the be-all and end-all of knife crime, that's not going to help at all. It's not even going to touch base. What they need to be doing is thinking about the deterrents that need to be put in place and the sentences that need to be put in place, which are tougher sentences that fit the crime.
"Violent crime as a whole should be put on the curriculum. A programme that's fitting for all schools and colleges to use. Teachers should be trained because the teachers don't know what's going on, they don't know what to look for and I know that for a fact, because I've trained the teachers and what to look for and how to do it. I've been educating with our programme now for nearly 20 years.
"We need to give the quality of work to the young people. The Home Office is only looking at numbers and figures and numbers and figures doesn't stop knife crime. Quality of work does; getting down to grassroots, working with them young people, you need to be doing workshops, you need to be continually working with them and that's what we do at our office.
"It's become the norm and it doesn't shock me anymore. It destroys me a little bit more and it breaks my heart a little bit more and that's heartbreaking in itself because you're getting used to these young people losing their lives. Why are they losing their lives? Because there aren't enough people out there that care enough about them, that listens to them, that believes in them and that'll do something to help them."
Idris Elba is one of the most prolific campaigners putting his weight behind getting the law changed.
His #DontStopYourFuture campaign, launched a fortnight ago has been calling on a ban and for more attention on how we stop the problem of knife-crime
At the campaign launch Idris told us: "I just feel like we need to show young people that you are respected and that you are cared for.
"Right now, the way it looks is that a young person dies. It's on the news, and then it's gone.
"Number one, let's just ban the knives. There was a legislation that said that zombie knives will be banned, but it's still five months later, and it hasn't been done.
"We should have this done immediately and it won't eradicate the problem of knife crime, but what it will symbolize that our government actually cares about the youth."
Labour leader promises £100 million youth-programme
A Labour government would launch a £100 million youth programme to tackle knife crime, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The new plan, a direct echo of New Labour’s SureStart childcare scheme, would see a nationwide targeted programme aimed at identifying and supporting young people at risk of being drawn into violent crime.
Alongside promises of better support, Labour is also promising “real consequences” for knife crime with an end to “empty warnings and apology letters” for those guilty of knife possession.
Legislation for ban on zombie knives planned
A statement on the Government's website says: "Machetes and zombie-style knives with no practical use will be banned and police will have more powers to seize them in a bid to crack down on their use in devastating street violence.
"Under the measures, machetes and knives that are designed to look intimidating and threatening, known as zombie-style knives, will be made illegal.
"The measures will be legislated when Parliament allows."