The government has announced that it will introduce stricter rules for online knife sales as part of its upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, including tougher penalties for companies that illegally sell knives to young people.
The new rules follow a spate of tragic incidents involving knives, including the deadly Southport attack in which Axel Rudakubana used a knife he had purchased on Amazon when he was 17 to attack and kill young children at a dance class.
The raft of measures are being referred to as ‘Ronan’s Law’, in tribute to Ronan Kanda, a 16-year-old who was killed in 2022 by a teenager carrying a 22-inch ‘ninja blade’ purchased online.
The government will increase the maximum prison sentence for selling weapons to under-18s from two months to up to two years. That could apply either to an individual who has processed the sale or the Chief Executive of a company – giving online marketplaces an added incentive to take their responsibilities seriously.
The increased penalty will also apply to the sale or supply of prohibited offensive weapons such as recently banned zombie-style knives.
Retailers will also be required to report any bulk or suspicious-looking purchases of knives on their platforms to police to prevent illegal resales happening across social media accounts.
A new offence of possessing an offensive weapon with intent for violence will be introduced, with a prison sentence of up to four years. This means that no matter if the weapon in an individual’s possession is legal or not, if there is intent to cause violence, possession will be treated as a criminal offence.
The government will also hold a consultation later this year to explore whether a registration scheme should be put in place for all online retailers selling knives. This follows the recent announcement of stronger ID checks on the sale and delivery of knives.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “It is horrifying how easy it is for young people to get hold of knives online even though children’s lives are being lost, and families and communities are left devastated as a result.
“Not enough has been done to tackle the online market over recent years which is why we made it an urgent priority in our manifesto and the measures today will be underpinned by investment for a new dedicated police unit to go after those who are breaking the law and putting children and teenagers’ lives at risk.
“We are honouring our commitment to introduce Ronan’s Law in memory of Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed in 2022. I am so grateful to the Kanda family for their endless perseverance in ensuring governments take the right actions to protect young people from further tragedy.
“This government has set an ambitious mission for the country to halve knife crime over the next decade and we will pursue every possible avenue to save young lives.”
Clayman Review
Last autumn, the government commissioned Commander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, to conduct a review into the sale of knives online. The review exposes loopholes in the sale of knives online and highlights the lack of minimum standards for age verification and delivery checks.
Clayman said: “A key focus in our fight to tackle knife crime and improve the safety of our communities is limiting the accessibility of knives wherever possible, restricting their availability and the routes to purchase. All too often in policing, we are dealing with the horrific consequences of knife crime and seeing how it devastates individuals and families.
“The evidence in the end-to-end review clearly demonstrates just how easy it is for anyone to purchase a knife online, often avoiding any age verification at all, or where it is in place, exploiting vulnerabilities, especially with delivery.
“We welcome the government’s commitment in working with policing and partners to tackle knife crime and these new measures will significantly enhance our response to this.”
The teenage killers of Ronan Kanda illegally bought lethal weapons online and collected them from the Post Office on the day of the attack, with no age or identity verification taking place. It was later revealed that one of them had bought more than 20 knives online, including by using his mother’s ID.
Ronan Kanda’s mother Pooja Kanda, who has campaigned for a change in the law, said: “In 2022, I lost my son, Ronan, to knife crime and mistaken identity. In 2023, we sat in the courtroom where we were shown a ninja sword and 25+ bladed articles. Looking at them, I knew my son didn’t stand a chance. Without proper ID checks, the online sale of these bladed articles played a crucial role in this tragedy.
“How was this allowed? A 16-year-old managed to get these weapons online and sold these weapons to other people. I knew we could not go on like this, and our fight for what was right had begun. Proper ID checks by sellers, as well as postal and delivery services, played a crucial role.
“We welcome the government’s plans to tackle the online sale of these weapons. Retailers, social media, and sellers need to take on more responsibilities. We welcome the proposal of a registration scheme, where the government will continue to implement stricter measures on the online sale of bladed articles. We have so much work to tackle knife crime; this is a much-needed beginning.
“This part of Ronan’s law will provide much-needed barriers against knife crime. I wish this was done years ago, and my son would be with me today.”
Patrick Green, Chief Executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, which campaigns on knife crime, said: “I am pleased to see that the government is listening to frontline organisations and is tightening the legislation needed to eliminate the supply of dangerous and intimidating weapons.
“These new laws, particularly the focus on reporting suspicious purchases and stronger age verification, will compel retailers to take responsibility for their actions. It has been our stated position that a licensing system for retailers is only way to ensure that specialised knives are only sold to those with legitimate and lawful need.
“A licensing system will ensure that only reputable retailers who comply with the law and prioritise public safety will be able to sell knives.”
