Root causes of knife crime among young people need to be addressed – MP
Conservative MP Ben Obese-Ject said the fatal stabbing of a child has become a familiar occurrence, following the death of Leo Ross earlier this week.
A conversation on why children find it so easy to take a life is “desperately needed”, an MP has said, following the fatal stabbing of a 12-year-old boy earlier this week.
Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty suggested it isn’t enough to ban zombie knives and that the root causes of knife crime amongst young people should be addressed.
The fatal stabbing of a child has become a familiar occurrence, with the number of teenagers killed as a result of knife crime doubling in the past decade, the Huntingdon MP told the Commons.
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder, West Midlands Police said, after 12-year-old Leo Ross was found with a stab wound near Scribers Lane in Hall Green, Birmingham on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Commons Leader Lucy Powell said the Government is committed to halving knife crime over the next decade and further measures to tackle the issue will be brought forward later this year.
During business questions, Mr Obese-Jecty said: “This week we saw the tragic murder of Leo Ross who was just 12 years old, two weeks ago 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa. The fatal stabbing of a child has become an all too familiar occurrence.
“The number of teenagers murdered by knife has doubled in the past decade, teenagers are twice as likely to be fatally stabbed as any other demographic.
“The Government have pledged to halve knife crime, legislating to ban zombie knives, but they account for only 3.6% of murders involving a knife. Kitchen knives account for over 52.6%, everybody has access to a draw-full of those in their own home.
“We desperately need a conversation about the root causes of knife crime, about why the situation is now worse than ever, and about why – shockingly – our children are now prepared to kill other children, why they find it so easy to take a life.
“So will the Leader of the House make time in the Parliamentary schedule to discuss the causes of knife crime?”
Ms Powell replied: “Can I share his remarks about the awful news yesterday of the stabbing and murder of Leo Ross, just 12-years-old, in the West Midlands.
“An age (of) my own child, and I’m sure many others who would be watching, and that of his constituents and others as well.
“This Government is committed to halving knife crime over the next decade, that’s an incredibly ambitious agenda that drives much of our activity in this space.
“The Prime Minister brought together a coalition to tackle knife crime in No 10 Downing Street in September. We’ve taken very quick action to ban zombie knives and dangerous ninja swords, further measures will be coming forward in the crime and policing bill later this year.
“But, he’s absolutely right, this takes a strategic, holistic, wide approach that also looks at preventative measures, education, youth services and brings all the players in our communities together to tackle the scourge of knife crime.”
