A grieving mum is "living a life sentence" after her 16-year-old son was stabbed to death.
Daniel Gee-Jamieson died after sustaining a fatal stab wound at a park just off Belle Vale Road in Gateacre in July 2018. Speaking at the launch event of the Knife Angel sculpture at Birkenhead Park today (July 8), Daniel's mum Mandy detailed the devastating consequences of carrying a knife.
She said: "When I look at the angel it overwhelms me because all I see is pain, trauma and death. No mother should ever have to bury their child.
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"When a child is killed by knife crime, all people see in the papers is the headline, they don’t see the ripple effect and damage it causes to families. Since Daniel has died, I’m now living a life sentence.
"I don’t tell people that my son’s dead, I tell them he was taken because he was. He wasn’t ill and he had his whole life ahead of him."
In the aftermath of Daniel's death, Mandy set up an organisation called Danny's Place #P4C to help educate young people on how knife crime impacts on families.
She said: "I’m left with a massive hole in my heart that will never mend. If you are carrying a knife you will eventually use it. It doesn’t make you look hard and it's certainly not an accessory to go with anyone's North Face jacket.
“I hope - because without hope we have nothing - that when young people see the knife angel they realise what it's been made from.”
The 27ft tall sculpture is constructed of 100,000 knives confiscated by 43 police forces around the country. It is currently on a tour of British cities and towns, serving as a bleak reminder of the grim reality of knife crime, and is on display at the grand entrance to Birkenhead Park until the end of July.
Merseyside's police and crime commissioner (PCC), Emily Spurrell, told the crowd gathered in Birkenhead Park today that the sculpture's arrival in Wirral is an opportunity to "stand in solidarity" with victims of knife crime.
She said: “It’s so much more than a dramatic piece of art. The Knife Angel is a very stark reminder of the devastating impact of knife crime on individuals, families and communities. Across the UK, scarcely a day goes by without an another tragic story about knife crime and sadly we have seen the heart-breaking consequences in Merseyside too many times.
“Our entire region was rocked by the murder of 12-year-old Ava White just over the water from here. Her death was another devastating reminder that we can’t ever give up in our battle to tackle knife crime for good.
"The knife angel provides us with an opportunity to remember and stand in solidarity with the victims of these crimes and the families of the people whose lives have been changed forever. Crucially, the Knife Angel is a powerful call to action, a focal point and a catalyst to bring us all together to renew our commitment to preventing and tackling the use of knives and bring about long lasting change to keep our communities safe."
Mayor of Wirral, Councillor Jeff Green and Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Ian Critchley, were also in attendance at today's event which featured powerful performances from Wirral Rock Choir and pupils from Parish Primary School in Birkenhead.
The arrival of the Knife Angel also coincides with a knife amnesty that will be launched across Merseyside and will run until Sunday, July 31.
Amnesty bins will be installed at the Knife Angel, as well as at Tranmere Rovers, Wirral Change and Beechwood Recreation Centre and Merseyside Police General Enquiry Offices.
The amnesty is for anyone who wants to dispose of bladed weapons and other offensive weapons, such as knuckle dusters or friction lock batons to do so safely, without fear of prosecution. The amnesty gives members of the public the chance to dispose of a knife anonymously with no questions asked, by simply depositing it into the amnesty bin.
Superintendent Phil Mullally said: “We know that knife bins do a great job in taking knives and other weapons off our streets, but they only work alongside enforcement and education.
"That is why I am delighted the bins accompany a whole range of activities in the Wirral from family fun day events to education groups and quiet reflection events – there is something for everyone, to go along to and maybe start the conversation of community and knife crime."
More than 40 knives have already been surrendered at the amnesty bins by Knife Angel since it was unveiled at Birkenhead Park last week.
You can also surrender knives and weapons at Merseyside Police General Enquiry Offices, as listed below.
•St Anne Street
•Birkenhead
•Huyton
•St Helens
•Southport
•Admiral Street
•Wallasey
•Newton-Le-Willows
•Bootle (Marsh Lane)
If you have information about someone carrying a knife, or know someone involved in crime, contact @MerPolCC, call 101 or contact @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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