A Vital Message To Youths Who Carry A Knife

5 September 2016, 08:00 | Updated: 6 September 2016, 10:42

This detective has a vital message for youngsters thinking about carrying a knife as part of LBC's new campaign to get knives off the streets.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Stokley told LBC that if young people carry a knife, it means they are more likely to be attacked with one.

He said: "I think there's a combination of reasons why people carry knives.

"Firstly, if someone is carrying a knife, they invariably will use it. And clearly people carry them in order to attack other people.

"The second reason that people do carry knives is they believe - and I believe this is a misconception - that they carry the knife to protect themselves. And that isn't the case.

"If you are carrying a knife, you are more likely to be attacked yourself. And also the people that are with you are actually more likely to be attacked.

"So it's a misnomer to carry a knife for your own protection.

"But there are also occasions I believe where people are intimidated to carry knives themselves, where they want to be part of a gang.

"And I would urge people not to carry a knife. If you carry a knife, it takes a life."