Police and Connor Brown Trust back tougher sentences for shops caught selling knives to youngsters

Tough new guidelines for sentencing business operators convicted of selling blades to children have been supported by Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness.

The Connor Brown Trust has also endorsed the campaign after the 18-year-old’s life was tragically cut short on a night out with friends in Sunderland city centre when he was stabbed after trying to defuse an altercation in February 2019.

His family and friends launched the Trust to educate young people and raise awareness about the dangers of carrying a knife.

Connor Brown’s mum Tanya Brown said: “The team behind the Connor Brown Trust are guided by the strength of the community and it is the community we want to protect from knife crime.

"We need everyone to be aware of the dangers of young people carrying knives, so we need to address the sale of knives to these young people.

“A message to all retailers is to think carefully as to whether you need to stock knives in general and who will be purchasing these knives, as well as what measures are in place to ensure knives are sold responsibly. Our youth today is our future tomorrow and we need to protect them.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness say retailers ‘must recognise their responsibility to help keep communities safe’ and by keeping knives out of pockets, it can help save more lives.

She said: “Every police officer will tell you that knife crime is not a problem we can arrest our way out of. Education plays such a crucial part in the fight against serious violence and the sale of these knives needs to also be a national priority.”

“Clear guidance and tough punishments are much needed, particularly for larger retailers as evidence shows that it is these larger organisations who have been responsible for most sales. And so, I’ve welcomed the opportunity to respond to this consultation on behalf of the North East.

"We’re one of the safest regions. And, thankfully, we have lower levels of knife crime than many comparative areas. But we have had our share of horrific cases - tragic reminders that knife crime is real and that we must do everything we can to fight this crime.”