Nick de Bois delivers Enfield's Knife Crime Petition to Parliament

In June the Government pledged that any adult convicted of using a knife to threaten or endanger, would face a mandatory six month prison sentence. However, as residents in Enfield and across the country know only too well, it is a sad fact that a high number of those using knives are under the age of 18. We therefore need tough policies to deal with them, too.

Enfield North MP Nick de Bois is therefore seeking to amend the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which is currently before Parliament to ensure that any 15, 16 or 17 year old who uses a knife to threaten or endanger a life will also be given a mandatory custodial sentence which is proportionate to the offence and age of the offender. The amendments that Nick has tabled in the House of Commons meet the pledge that David Cameron gave before the General Election, but above all ensure that a credible deterrent exists to help discourage young people becoming involved with knife crime.

Solving our knife crime problem cannot be done by laws alone and Nick is working to ensure that there are successful early intervention programmes and rehabilitation programmes for offenders which help beat the scourge of knife crime. But it is vital that we have an effective deterrent in law.

It is hoped that with enough support a clear message can be sent to the Government that its tough knife crime policies must also apply to those under the age of 18, too. If you are not a constituent of mine, and you support this amendment, please contact your MP and ask him to add his name to Amendment 194 and 195 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

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