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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Footballers make knife-crime plea | Footballers make knife-crime plea |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| David Beckham has joined other England football stars to call on young people to stop carrying knives. | David Beckham has joined other England football stars to call on young people to stop carrying knives. |
| Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and David James spoke to launch an anti-knife campaign called It Doesn't Have to Happen. | Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and David James spoke to launch an anti-knife campaign called It Doesn't Have to Happen. |
| Beckham said: "We can help people, we can help youngsters, because we've got a voice that kids listen to." | |
| The government says more than 2,500 arrests have been made and 1,600 knives have been seized since June under its action plan to tackle knife crime. | The government says more than 2,500 arrests have been made and 1,600 knives have been seized since June under its action plan to tackle knife crime. |
| Over 55,000 people have been stopped and searched under the measures. | Over 55,000 people have been stopped and searched under the measures. |
| The players met Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and senior police officers ahead of their match with the Czech Republic. | The players met Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and senior police officers ahead of their match with the Czech Republic. |
| "Tragic consequences" | "Tragic consequences" |
| David Beckham told the news conference at the team hotel he had experience of knife crime. | David Beckham told the news conference at the team hotel he had experience of knife crime. |
| His best friend's brother had been due to sign a contract with Leyton Orient when he was stabbed aged 13. | His best friend's brother had been due to sign a contract with Leyton Orient when he was stabbed aged 13. |
| Beckham said: "One day he was walking the streets, saw a fight, went over to help, got stabbed in the back and was paralysed. | Beckham said: "One day he was walking the streets, saw a fight, went over to help, got stabbed in the back and was paralysed. |
| "No one wants to see the devastation I saw my friend and his family go through. We have to lend our support to this campaign." | "No one wants to see the devastation I saw my friend and his family go through. We have to lend our support to this campaign." |
| Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure and then something happens that everyone regrets Rio Ferdinand | Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure and then something happens that everyone regrets Rio Ferdinand |
| He added: "It' so important that we get involved in this, it's so important that we believe that things can change, because no-one wants to pack their children off to school in the morning and then never see them again." | He added: "It' so important that we get involved in this, it's so important that we believe that things can change, because no-one wants to pack their children off to school in the morning and then never see them again." |
| Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand attended the same school as murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. | Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand attended the same school as murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. |
| "I will never forget when the headmaster brought the school to a halt and said he had been killed. There was a sombre and chilling atmosphere. | "I will never forget when the headmaster brought the school to a halt and said he had been killed. There was a sombre and chilling atmosphere. |
| "One day the guy was enjoying life and talking about his A-levels and the next day he was gone. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." | "One day the guy was enjoying life and talking about his A-levels and the next day he was gone. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." |
| 'Tragic consequences' | 'Tragic consequences' |
| He said getting tough on knife crime would help, but there also needed to be schemes to keep young people busy. | He said getting tough on knife crime would help, but there also needed to be schemes to keep young people busy. |
| "Communities and youth centres also need to play a bigger part. Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure and then something happens that everyone regrets," he added. | "Communities and youth centres also need to play a bigger part. Boredom can set in a lot of times, there is a lot of peer pressure and then something happens that everyone regrets," he added. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the "tragic consequences" of knives had been shown with two more deaths this weekend. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the "tragic consequences" of knives had been shown with two more deaths this weekend. |
| She said: "Some young people may think that carrying a knife makes them safer. In fact the opposite is true, if you carry a knife you risk it being used, and possibly against you. | She said: "Some young people may think that carrying a knife makes them safer. In fact the opposite is true, if you carry a knife you risk it being used, and possibly against you. |
| "It doesn't have to happen, families' grief doesn't have to happen, and communities shouldn't have to live in fear." | "It doesn't have to happen, families' grief doesn't have to happen, and communities shouldn't have to live in fear." |
| Ms Smith said more funding was being given to pay for 85 more portable search arches and 566 search wands to allow more operations to take place. | Ms Smith said more funding was being given to pay for 85 more portable search arches and 566 search wands to allow more operations to take place. |