Latest news with #Ronan'sLaw
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
King Charles speaks out on devastating issue that's 'terrifying' families
King Charles teamed up with actor Idris Elba for a summit at St James' Palace where they met young people and charities to discuss ways to tackle the devastating impact of knife crime King Charles has spoken out about the impact of 'terrifying' violent knife crime as he hosted a special summit on the 'devastating' issue. The monarch teamed up with actor Idris Elba to meet young people and charities at St James's Palace today to discuss finding positive opportunities for young people affected by knife crime. And the King, 76, told one campaigner, Kyle Shaw Tullin, he was' riveted' by his story after he told how he almost died when he was stabbed aged 17, spending two weeks in hospital. But by joining a local boxing gym, he turned his life around because he was "too tired" from working out to go and get into trouble and is now in the Royal Marines and a Team GB boxer. After making notes while listening to stories from young people and charities, Charles, who was also joined by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, gave an off-the-cuff speech saying: "I was riveted to hear what Kyle was saying about his experiences. "Because it does seem to me, what you were saying, about being too exhausted to get into trouble, is quite a good point you're a teenager. And otherwise, you cost so much energy, which could go the wrong way if it's not helped to go in a positively constructive direction. So that was a good point. "There was a wonderful old Irishman I knew years ago who said that two sheep's heads are always better than one. And it's true if you bring more people together who are involved in the same sort of field, then there is a great deal more you can achieve. "So I'm enormously grateful to you all. I look forward very much to seeing the actual progress on the ground, which will make a huge difference to so many parents' lives, otherwise they're devastated by the terrifying result of violent knife crime." Speaking to the panel, Elba also spoke of how "we can't take the foot off the pedal" when it comes to tackling knife crime while the Prime Minister spoke about new laws being enacted including Ronan's Law which bans Ninja Swords. After the event, Starmer told the Mirror that as a parent, the issue of knife crime is something he feels "very personally". He explained: "Some of the most heartbreaking moments in this job have been meeting parents whose children were victims of knife crime. I think of Zoey McGill who showed me a video of her singing to her son as he lay dying in his hospital bed. I think of the times I've met Pooja Kanda whose son Ronan was killed by a ninja sword. "Their courage – and the courage of so many grieving parents like them - is extraordinary. From such devastation, they have found a remarkable strength to fight for change. They are determined to stop other parents from going through what they have endured. "It's something I feel very personally. Not just as a parent, trying to comprehend what they've been through, but because tackling crime and securing justice has been my life's work. That's why, as Prime Minister, I set the goal to halve knife crime in a decade as part of this government's Plan for Change. "In the last year, we have already taken some important steps. I promised Pooja that we would ban the ninja swords that killed her son. And we've kept that promise: 'Ronan's Law' will become the law of the land. Throughout this month, we're running a knife surrender scheme, with mobile vans collecting these knives off our streets. And from next month, it will be illegal to sell or own these vicious blades." It comes as the King and Elba, 52, are teaming up for a Netflix documentary to mark the 50th anniversary of The King's Trust. Charles launched charity, then known as The Prince's Trust, in 1976 to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. A six-strong Netflix crew was in the palace to film sections of the event for their documentary that is set to be aired next year. Before the round table at St James' Palace, the King also met charity workers and King's Trust supporters and alumni. Trust ambassador Michael Gilroy, 27, of CEO Evol Promotions for Muay Thai events, found help from the then Prince's Trust three years ago, and scored a £5,000 grant. He described learning more about running a business on a three-day course run by the Trust than the whole previous year. The King said: "So it doesn't make a difference? Wonderful. It makes me very proud." Speaking afterwards Michael said: "He really is proud of us and he is committed to bettering young people's lives around the UK. "The Trust has changed my life and when someone like the King tells you is proud of you it doesn't get much better than that."
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
KEIR STARMER: As a parent, meeting families of knife crime victims is heart breaking
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the extraordinary courage of families who have lost children to knife crime spurs him on - as he vowed to end the epidemic of violence Some of the most heart-breaking moments in this job have been meeting parents whose children were victims of knife crime. I think of Zoey McGill who showed me a video of her singing to her son as he lay dying in his hospital bed. I think of the times I've met Pooja Kanda whose son Ronan was killed by a ninja sword. Their courage – and the courage of so many grieving parents like them - is extraordinary. From such devastation, they have found a remarkable strength to fight for change. They are determined to stop other parents going through what they have endured. It's something I feel very personally. Not just as a parent, trying to comprehend what they've been through, but because tackling crime and securing justice has been my life's work. That's why, as Prime Minister, I set the goal to halve knife crime in a decade as part of this government's Plan for Change. In the last year, we have already taken some important steps. I promised Pooja that we would ban the ninja swords that killed her son. And we've kept that promise: 'Ronan's Law' will become the law of the land. Throughout this month, we're running a knife surrender scheme, with mobile vans collecting these knives off our streets. And from next month, it will be illegal to sell or own these vicious blades. We've got tougher sentences for selling knives to young people and a new power for police to seize them. We're cracking down on online sales that somehow, inexplicably, made buying a knife online as easy as buying a football. And we've introduced sanctions for tech executives who fail to remove illegal knife crime content from their platforms. We're ensuring there are real consequences for carrying a knife, and restoring proper community policing on the ground, with 13,000 more police officers in neighbourhood roles by the end of this Parliament. But one area where we've got to go much further is how we prevent young people being drawn into knife crime in the first place. So this week the government is setting out plans for our Young Futures Hubs. These hubs will bring together local services, mental health support, mentoring and careers guidance in the communities where young people live, ensuring no-one is left behind. There will be eight early adopters up and running later this year – focused in areas with high levels of knife crime – and fifty by the end of this Parliament. We've also got to address the underlying causes that might make a young person pick up a weapon, whether they are being groomed by a gang or radicalised online. So our new Prevention Partnership Panels will bring together local authorities, police, schools and community groups to proactively spot when young people need help. And they will then refer them to support services much earlier, including to our new Young Futures Hubs. Of course, government cannot do this alone. We have to come together as a country, politicians of all stripes, faith and community leaders, families of victims, tech companies and young people themselves. It's why last year at Downing Street, we launched our brilliant Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime – with charities, funders, families and experts uniting to get these knives off our streets and to restore youth services. And it's why today I was pleased to be able to join The King and Idris Elba at a summit at St James' Palace to help drive forward this vital work. In politics, what matters is who you have in your mind when you're taking decisions. I will always have people like Pooja and Zoey in my mind. Their courage demands that, together, we act. And I am determined that we will do whatever it takes to end this epidemic of knife crime and build a country where families once again feel safe on our streets, and young people can look forward with hope and excitement about their future.
ITV News
01-07-2025
- ITV News
'This is for my son': Knife crime campaigner Pooja Kanda given OBE in King's Birthday honours
Pooja Kanda has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) following her tireless campaign for changes in the law after her 16-year-old son Ronan was murdered with a ninja sword yards away from his Wolverhampton home. Ms Kanda said she was "grateful" and "overwhelmed" by the honour following the death of her son in June 2022. The 48-year-old said: 'The day I heard about the OBE, I held his picture. I shed tears. "I know that the OBE is in my name, but this is for my son. "I'm only here because of who he was. He was such a kind, loving, caring, not a son, not a brother, a human being, a person who everyone loved." Ms Kanda said she was driven to campaign after witnessing the trial of her son's killers, who attacked the 16-year-old in a case of mistaken identity. They had been able to buy knives without identity checks. "During that court case, the revelation each day was: how is this possible?" Ms Kanda said. "How? How on earth are these types of weapons still available? "No wonder my son didn't stand a chance." Ms Kanda and her family began the Justice For Ronan Kanda campaign after his death and have since advocated for changes in the law around the sale of knives. She said one of Ronan's killers had been able to get weapons online "as easily as getting bread and milk". The Kanda family's campaigning has already achieved one of its goals – the passing of Ronan's Law which will make it illegal to own, sell, make or import ninja swords in the UK from August 1. Pat McFadden, MP for Wolverhampton South East, Ronan's constituency, thanked Ms Kanda and her family for their efforts when the law was approved in Parliament on April 30. But for Ms Kanda, there is still "so much to do". "This is just one fight for me," she said. "There were many failures that I endured, and many failures need to be turned into learnings."
ITV News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Mum of murdered Ronan Kanda, 16, pleads to surrender ninja swords before ban
The mother of a teenager murdered with a ninja sword is pleading with people to give up their weapons before a ban comes into force so 'children can walk home without fear'. A national Surrender and Compensation scheme is being launched for ninja swords in July, ahead of the ban from August 1. Under Ronan's Law, it will be illegal to possess, sell, make or import the knives. The law is named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was yards away from his Wolverhampton home when he was murdered with a ninja sword in 2022, in a case of mistaken identity. His family and mother Pooja Kanda have been campaigning for the ban since his death. Ms Kanda said: 'It has been three years since Ronan's life was tragically taken as a result of the wounds inflicted by a ninja sword. 'Since then, we have relentlessly campaigned for ninja swords to be taken off the streets as they have no place in society. 'The Government has now introduced a much-needed ban on ninja swords, and we encourage those in possession to surrender them to make the community a safer place where children can walk home without fear.' As part of the Government's new knife surrender scheme, anti-knife crime campaigner Faron Paul, of FazAmnesty, will tour London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in an 'amnesty van' to help get rid of dangerous blades. Mr Paul added: 'By taking this service directly into communities, I hope we can reach more individuals, encourage positive decisions, and help reduce the number of harmful items on our streets.' The Home Office is also funding 37 new surrender bins, made by charity Word 4 Weapons, across the same locations where 45% of knife crime in England and Wales takes place. Anyone handing in a ninja sword can also claim compensation of £5 – the wholesale price of the weapon – if they return it to a designated police station. Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: 'The launch of today's scheme is a result of months of collaborative working with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and I'm optimistic about what we can achieve together over the next month and then the years to come as part of our plan for change. 'This scheme is just one part of addressing knife crime. 'We will not stop listening to those who are directly working with those impacted by this crime.'
Daily Mirror
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Labour's Crime and Policing Bill will restore police trust
Officers have been pulled from the beat, breaking the vital connections with the areas they serve. Knife crime claimed 262 lives last year alone, and we have seen a disturbing rise of offences from shop theft to spiking and drug gangs destroying children's lives by exploiting them for criminal activity. Meanwhile, public confidence has been damaged by misconduct, while police chiefs are also crying out for radical reforms to help deliver better value for taxpayers. This government has acted. Change is underway. Our landmark Crime and Policing Bill is central to our mission to cut crime and make our streets safer. This week, that Bill takes a step closer to becoming law when it returns to the House of Commons. This is a pivotal moment for this government, and will help to deliver meaningful change to people's lives and rebuild their confidence in those tasked with protecting them. We have already introduced in the Bill strengthened powers to fight anti-social behaviour; including new Respect Orders to ban repeat offenders from town centres and the power to seize nuisance vehicles like e-bikes and e-scooters without warning, and Ronan's Law will stop knives from being sold illegally online and introduce tough punishments for social media execs who allow our young people to see knife crime content online. But we are going further, strengthening this Bill. We will extend a barred list to stop disgraced officers from ever serving again, making sure only officers fit to serve are allowed to wear a badge. Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. And to better protect the hardworking police who patrol our communities, we have laid an amendment that will stop them being subjected to racial and religious abuse during home visits, closing a loophole that allowed people to get away with this. This Bill is just one part of our work to keep our streets safe. This year, we have backed the police with an extra £1.2 billion, including £200 million specifically for 3,000 more officers, community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood roles by next April. Investment in the police will be boosted above inflation every year for this Spending Review period. This will mean we can continue to progress toward our 13,000 target, part of our Plan for Change. At the same time, we expect forces make the reforms needed win back the public trust. Our upcoming Police Reform White Paper will improve performances, drive up standards and improve efficiency It will not be simple, but together we will deliver on our promise to rebuilt trust in the police, cut crime and make our streets safer places to live, work and raise families.
