London, Feb 19: The UK government on Wednesday announced stricter rules for online retailers selling knives, along with tougher penalties for failing to enforce them, as part of a new crackdown named in memory of an Indian-origin boy killed in a stabbing attack.
Ronan’s Law will require retailers to report suspicious and bulk purchases of knives on their platforms to police, with tougher sentences for selling knives to under 18s.
Ronan Kanda, 16, was attacked near his home in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region of England in July 2022 and died at the scene after being stabbed twice in what emerged as a case of mistaken identity.
His mother, Pooja Kanda, has since been campaigning for more stringent measures after two teenagers – also of Indian origin – were sentenced to a total of 34 years’ imprisonment for her son’s murder.
“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 over 25 bladed articles. Looking at them, I knew my son didn’t stand a chance,” Pooja Kanda said in a statement.
“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…
“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,” she said.
The campaigner has been raising the issue of online sale of bladed articles being allowed without proper ID checks after Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that her son’s teenage killers 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. (PTI)
