On Wednesday 13th December, 2006...
Ann Oakes-Odger, Lucy Davis, Mike O'Brien QC, Rob Wilson MP for Reading, Donna Williams, Sandra Griffiths & Josie Pollen
I was privileged to be invited to join a delegation of families with the common cause of ’Knife Crimes’ on the agenda…to meet with The Hon. Mike O’Brien QC - Solicitor General at Buckingham Place, SW1 and later the same day to meet with Tony McNulty, the Policing Minister at the Home Office. We entered Westminster Hall just as Prime Minister’s question time finished…to mingle with many Ministers along with Bob Geldof, before moving on to our first meeting at l pm. The meeting was arranged by Lucy Davis, who had previously met with the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer on the 9th June at which time she was supported by her MP for Reading East, Rob Wilson.
Those attending Wednesday’s meetings included Tom Ap Rhys Price’s mother - her Son Tom’s murderers were recently convicted. Daniel Pollen’s mother, along with his friend Andrew Griffith’s mother. I joined the party of families with ‘Be Safe Project’ co-founder David Morris, to further the education programme…’Knife Talk’ aiming to educate against young people carrying weapons. The ‘Knives Cost Lives’…what every teenager should know campaign by Lucy Davis was launched in the wake of her brother Scott’s murder, and has been running since May, 2006.
Lucy Davis said…
”My brother went for a night out, and never came home...
On the 13th July 2001, Scott was out celebrating a friend’s birthday and I had dropped him into town.
Little did I know that this was to be my last goodbye to him,
as my brother was brutally stabbed more than 9 times…
in the hands, arms and chest with a knife!”.
Scott Davis was stabbed to death nearby The Oracle Shopping Centre, Reading. Lucy says on You Tube...www.youtube.com/Watch?v=LFtL_ZS6_ZY
Daniel Pollen and Andy Griffiths was stabbed in Romford, Essex. Daniel's sister speaks of what happened...www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZRoiOZXpEU
Agenda
Like myself…all those present had the same agenda, to highlight the problem of ’Knife Crime’ and get increased sentences for ‘Knife Murders’. This means a change in the current system of discounts in ’Sentencing’ that has been introduced. Mike O’Brien listened carefully to the concerns raised and confirmed that he would look at points raised by each family, to look at each case individually. He also said that the Government would be conducting a review in a couple of months time of murder sentences, also looking at a review of the tariffs. The issue of ’concurrent sentencing’ was also raised…and requests made to review.
Neil Master, Senior Policy Adviser for the Crown Prosecution Service
I spoke at length with Neil Master, Senior Policy Adviser for the Crown Prosecution Service, responsible for victims and witnesses. I was pleased to discuss and be given a copy of The Prosecutors’ Pledge, which I shall review later in my next article. I am again in London on Monday 18th December, 2006 at Portcullis House, Parliament to discuss further the question of educating young people in the dangers of carrying weapons…knives, so often turned on the person carrying it with fatal consequences!
I will be high-lighting the need to take this message into Schools, Youth Clubs and to Educate Young Offenders. This message at the moment is being delivered by ’Be Safe’ in various areas of London, whilst in the New Year I shall be starting ’Westley’s Weapons Awareness’ in schools throughout Colchester and East Anglia…the ’Knife talk’ message needs to be a Nationwide Campaign! I welcome your views to… ann@KnifeCrimes.org
By Ann Oakes Odger
E. & O. E