Company bosses face two years in jail if children can buy knives from their firms online
COMPANY bosses face two years in jail if children can buy knives from their firms online.
The government crackdown will also force suppliers to report bulk blade orders which may go to gangs or terrorists.
It came as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed ex-PM Tony Blair and vowed to be “tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime”.
Ms Cooper is also considering forcing knife retailers to apply for a licence so only vetted suppliers are allowed to trade, and is launching a new anti-knife police unit with £1millin funding.
The package will form a new Ronan’s Law in honour of tragic 16-year-old Ronan Kanda who was killed three years ago in Wolverhampton in a case of mistaken identity.
Ronan’s killers illegally bought a ninja sword online and collected it from the Post Office on the day of the attack without proving their age.
His mum Pooja Kanda said last night: “I wish this was done years ago, and my son would be with me today.”
Ms 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.
“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.”
The measures follow a review by Knife Crime Commander Stephen Clayman.