Two campaigning mums are urging families to keep track of knives in their homes after the UK’s knife crime epidemic has claimed the life of schoolboy Harvey Willgoose
Two campaigning mums are urging families to keep track of knives in their homes.
They spoke as the epidemic of offences involving bladed articles claimed the life of Harvey Willgoose, 15, in Sheffield. The Prime Minister has announced new plans to clamp down on online sales to young people in a bid to tackle knife crime. He spoke out after Southport killer Axel Rudakubana ordered the knife he used to murder three little girls from Amazon.
The changes will see the introduction of a new two-step ID system for all retailers selling knives online. They will require customers to submit photo ID at the point of sale and on delivery. In addition, delivery companies will only be able to deliver a bladed article to the same person who purchased it.
The latest victim of the knife crime epidemic collapsed at All Saints Catholic High School, Sheffield after he was stabbed three times. Harvey’s mum Caroline, 49, and sister Sophie spoke of their ordeal before they visited the school yard today where Harvey tragically lost his life. Sister Sophie said: “My heart is broken into a million pieces, I love you so much Harvey. Hug your loved ones a little tighter, I wish I could.” Worried parents of pupils told of the agonising wait to see their children as the school went into lockdown.
Alison Madgin, whose daughter Samantha, 18, was stabbed to death on Tyneside in 2007, warns it is not enough to end the knife crime epidemic. She has joined forces with other families to raise awareness of the dangers of knives kept in the home. They hope that by speaking out, they can help parents think about the way they store kitchen knives at home.
She said: “As a parent, you need to make sure you know if your child has taken a knife out the drawer. You can number your knives, and if you notice one is missing, do something.” Tanya and Simon Brown set up the Connor Brown Trust after their son Connor, 18, was stabbed to death in Sunderland in 2019. They have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime, and go out to schools to speak to pupils about the terrible impact of the use of the weapons.
Tanya, 44, believes families can store their kitchen knives in a knife block so they easily see if one is missing. “Education around knives is still really, really important,” she said. “When we talk to teenagers and parents we always say if you are worried about a child, then we recommend knife blocks, so you can see if one is missing. It’s small things like that can make a difference.”
