Children are able to buy knives from shops across the country with no checks for the same price as a soft drink, an investigation has shown. The Mirror sent a 16-year-olkd girl undercover to try to buy knives at shops across the UK - with no ID.
The experiment involving 23 shops in three major cities saw 15 sellers willing to break the law - including independent traders and major high street brands. Martha was able to buy knives up to 8ins long for as little as £1.30.
In England and Wales, it is illegal to sell knives, apart from penknives with blades smaller than 3ins, to anyone under the age of 18. nife crime is up 30% since 2011, and in London alone last year 27 children under 18 were stabbed to death.
Martha buys a knife at Brixton Hardware in London (Image: Ian Vogler)
Patrick Green, of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said: “It is shocking to see that despite the misery knife crime brings to hundreds of families every year, a large proportion of retailers still ignore the law, and sell knives to teenagers. These retailers often get away with a slap-on-the-wrist fine, while families of knife crime victims face a life sentence of suffering. It is time to get tough and put rogue retailers who continually break the law behind bars.”
The trust was set up to combat knife crime after Ben Kinsella, 16, was stabbed to death in London in 2008.
She was sold a knife at Kendals 'House of Fraser' in Deansgate, Manchester (Image: Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)
Yvonne Lawson, whose 17-year-old son Godwin, was killed in 2010, said: “I am shocked that children can access knives so easily. Trading standards need the resources and they need to make this a priority.”
A 6’’ Jab Saw knife form 'Supersave Bargain' Store, on Picton Road, Wavertree Liverpool (Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
In Liverpool city centre TK Maxx, M&S, Home Bargains, Poundland and Matalan said they did not stock knives, while B&M refused to sell one without ID, as did camping store Adapt. In John Lewis, an assistant sold the teen a £7.50 knife, before remembering to check ID and giving a refund as our shopper said she had none.
In the suburbs Martha visited five stores and hardware shops and none asked for ID. All sold her knives, priced £1.99 to £5.50. Charley Chaudhary, of Charley’s Discounts, said: “I didn’t ask her age. I will next time. I thought it was genuine.”
Halina Ahmed, at Mahdi Shop, who sold a set of seven knives for £10, said: “I thought she was 25.”
Martha bought a knife from 'Granby Minimarket' Store, on Granby Street in Toxteth, Liverpool (Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
Liverpool city council said it was “saddened and disturbed” by our study and had asked trading standards officers to “look into the matter”. In South London half of the stores visited refused to sell a knife, but Clapham Homecare sold Martha an eight inch one for £6.99.
Owner Bilal Ishaq, said he was “very sorry”. He added: “We try to be very strict. For a few pounds we don’t want someone’s life to be put in danger.”
She bought a knife from 'Discount Island' Store, on High Street, Garston, Liverpool (Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
In Manchester, seven of nine shops sold a knife. Martha was refused one at Home Sense, owned by TK Maxx, but bought a chef’s knife at the House of Fraser store. The sales assistant asked: “Are you over 18?”
Martha said: “Yes, but I haven’t got any ID.” The assistant said: “I have to check. Sometimes we get secret shoppers and I can get into trouble.” House of Fraser did not respond to a request for comment from The Mirror. All but one of the independent stores tested in Manchester sold the girl a knife, the cheapest just £1.30.
At My Store, where she got a £1.75 knife, Khuram Nomani said: “We are very strict. Even if someone looks 20, 22, we do not sell.” But Jade Akoum, 32, whose brother Yousef Makki was stabbed to death in 2019 at Hale, Cheshire, said: “They need to be tougher.
“Something needs to happen urgently. Warning those that sell knives to children is simply not enough. It must start with prosecution.”
