22 April
Mohammad Ali, 24, and his brother
Hayder Ali, 23, were stabbed to death by a group of men who had surrounded their van at midnight in south London.
Eight men between the ages of 17 and 23 have been charged with their murders.
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The law Legislation on possession of knives is being reviewed across the UK. The current law says it is an offence to carry a knife with the exception of a folding pocket-knife with a blade not exceeding three inches. Anyone caught carrying a knife without good reason faces a maximum sentence of four years imprisonment. |
If the blade is less than three inches long the punishment could be as little as a £50 fine or a caution.
The Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which is currently going through the House of Lords, suggests increasing the age at which a person can be sold a knife from 16 to 18.
It introduces powers for head teachers to search pupils for knives and offensive weapons and creates a new offence of using another person to mind a weapon, increasing the sentence dramatically if the person involved is a child.
The tough sentencing on guns and firearms has resulted in those wanting to arm themselves turning to knives. Sgt Andy Cutler of the Bournemouth Police says the one of the problems are knives designed to be hidden or concealed in other objects, such as pens, buckle belts and lighters; " And on first look they don’t look like a weapon." "We are sent the latest updates of the new styles and pictures from America or other places and invariably they start turning up on our streets shortly after because they are available on the web." |
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Pressure group Mothers Against Murder And Aggression is calling for a minimum five-year jail term for anyone caught with a knife or offensive weapon, in line with the mandatory prison term for gun possession.
Sgt Cutler says tougher sentencing by the courts is important.
"If there is no fear of punishment, there is no fear of committing the crime."