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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Crackdown on illegal knife sales | Crackdown on illegal knife sales |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An initiative to crack down on the illegal sale of knives to under-18s is being launched. | An initiative to crack down on the illegal sale of knives to under-18s is being launched. |
| Underage teenagers will be sent into shops to try to buy knives, under the supervision of police and Trading Standards officers. | Underage teenagers will be sent into shops to try to buy knives, under the supervision of police and Trading Standards officers. |
| It is part of new measures announced by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker to "get tough" on the problem. | It is part of new measures announced by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker to "get tough" on the problem. |
| The scheme will take place in ten designated knife crime hotspots across England and Wales. | The scheme will take place in ten designated knife crime hotspots across England and Wales. |
| Last year the legal age limit to buy a knife was raised from 16 to 18 and the maximum sentence for carrying a knife has been doubled from two to four years. | Last year the legal age limit to buy a knife was raised from 16 to 18 and the maximum sentence for carrying a knife has been doubled from two to four years. |
| But Mr Coaker said more still needed to be done. | But Mr Coaker said more still needed to be done. |
| "Knife crime is a complex issue which we all need to work together to solve. Enforcement action is one part of the solution," he said. | "Knife crime is a complex issue which we all need to work together to solve. Enforcement action is one part of the solution," he said. |
| "That is why I am calling on our partners in the police and Trading Standards to get tough with anyone illegally selling knives." | "That is why I am calling on our partners in the police and Trading Standards to get tough with anyone illegally selling knives." |
| He said he wanted to see more test purchasing operations. | He said he wanted to see more test purchasing operations. |
| There is simply no excuse for selling knives to children, and retailers must accept their share of responsibility Geoffrey Theobald, LACORS | There is simply no excuse for selling knives to children, and retailers must accept their share of responsibility Geoffrey Theobald, LACORS |
| Alf Hitchcock, deputy assistant commissioner for Scotland Yard, said: "Stamping out knife crime and getting weapons off our streets cannot be down to police alone - retailers must take responsibility for their actions too. | Alf Hitchcock, deputy assistant commissioner for Scotland Yard, said: "Stamping out knife crime and getting weapons off our streets cannot be down to police alone - retailers must take responsibility for their actions too. |
| "Operations such as this are considered good practice in tackling unscrupulous and irresponsible shopkeepers who are willing to sell knives to young people with the full knowledge that these may then go on to be used as weapons." | "Operations such as this are considered good practice in tackling unscrupulous and irresponsible shopkeepers who are willing to sell knives to young people with the full knowledge that these may then go on to be used as weapons." |
| Geoffrey Theobald, chairman of council trading standards organisation LACORS, said councils were not trying to "hoodwink" retailers. | Geoffrey Theobald, chairman of council trading standards organisation LACORS, said councils were not trying to "hoodwink" retailers. |
| "We will only use volunteers who look under 18," he said. | "We will only use volunteers who look under 18," he said. |
| "There is simply no excuse for selling knives to children, and retailers must accept their share of responsibility if we are to keep our streets, and our young people, safe and free of knives." | "There is simply no excuse for selling knives to children, and retailers must accept their share of responsibility if we are to keep our streets, and our young people, safe and free of knives." |
| Selling knives to under-18s carries a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment plus a fine of £5,000. | Selling knives to under-18s carries a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment plus a fine of £5,000. |
| The ten areas taking part in the Tackling Knives Action Programme account for more than 70% of serious violence involving a knife. | The ten areas taking part in the Tackling Knives Action Programme account for more than 70% of serious violence involving a knife. |
| They are London, Essex, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, South Wales and Thames Valley. | They are London, Essex, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, South Wales and Thames Valley. |