New laws target online knife sales to minors. Stricter rules and tougher sentences aim to reduce knife crime.
Retailers must tell police about big or odd knife orders. This is to stop illegal resales and the Prime Minister promised to make it harder to buy knives. He wants to prevent easy access for young people, and this promise came in January.
The prison sentence for selling weapons to minors will go up, increasing from six months to two years. The penalty applies to those selling illegal weapons, including zombie-style knives, and it could affect both sellers and company leaders.
A new crime will be introduced, named “Possessing an offensive weapon with intent for violence.” This means violence intent is a crime, even if the weapon is legal, and this law carries a four-year sentence.
The government will explore a plan for online retailer registration. This consultation will begin later this year, and these new laws are named “Ronan’s Law.” This honors Ronan Kanda, who died in 2022 after being fatally stabbed at 16.
Ronan’s killers bought weapons online without age checks; one killer bought over twenty knives. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the situation horrifying. She said it is too easy for young people to get knives online and she wants to invest in a police unit to target those breaking the law.
Ronan’s mother, Pooja Kanda, wants proper ID checks. Sellers and delivery services need to verify age. She supports the new registration scheme too, believing stricter measures for online knife sales are needed.