…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
The mother of Ava White, a young girl who tragically lost her life to knife crime, has expressed her concern that current knife crime laws have not undergone significant changes since her daughter’s death.
Ava, aged 12, was fatally stabbed by a 14-year-old boy, whose identity remains undisclosed for legal reasons.
Insufficient Measures for Prevention:
Leeann, Ava’s devastated mother, advocates for the implementation of stricter measures to combat knife crime, including searches for weapons among children as young as 12.
She argues that recent regulations, granting additional search powers to the police for individuals with previous offenses, fall short as they only apply to adults over the age of 18.
Lack of Progress in Knife Crime Laws:
When asked about her perspective on the progress made in knife crime legislation, Leeann expresses her disillusionment, stating, “I don’t see a difference to be honest.”
While acknowledging the introduction of new stop and search policies, she asserts the need for targeting younger individuals, as they are increasingly involved in carrying knives alongside adults.
Leeann believes that expanding stop and search powers to include at least 12-year-olds could have potentially saved her daughter’s life.
Trials of Serious Violence Reduction Orders:
Reports indicate that Serious Violence Reduction Orders, allowing the police to search known knife offenders, are currently undergoing trials in four police forces, including Merseyside, where Ava tragically lost her life in November 2021.
Presently, law enforcement officers can stop and search any individual, regardless of age, if they have reasonable grounds to suspect the possession of weapons or drugs.
Campaign for Life-Saving Bleed Packs:
In addition to advocating for stricter knife crime laws, Ava’s family has launched a campaign to install life-saving bleed packs throughout the city.
They are urging the government to implement these packs nationwide.
Leeann recently attended a celebrity football match at Marine FC in Crosby, organized in support of anti-blade charities such as Weapons Down Gloves Up and No More Knives.
The event featured renowned figures like World Champion boxer Tony Bellew, as well as former Liverpool stars Alan Kennedy and Neil Ruddock.
Conclusion:
Despite the devastating loss of her daughter and the subsequent legal proceedings that resulted in a minimum 13-year sentence for Ava’s unnamed killer, Leeann remains resolute in her fight against knife crime.
She highlights the urgency for more comprehensive measures, emphasizing the importance of searching younger individuals for weapons, as well as the nationwide implementation of life-saving bleed packs.