Judges must act on policy

While we welcome news on a get-tough knife policy in our courts, we share the reservations raised by campaigner John Johnson.

“There have been changes before but the courts have not done anything about it,” he said.

John has been campaigning for tougher sentences since his son Kevin was stabbed to death outside his home.

And on paper, the new guidelines appear to add weight to the anti-knife campaign argument.

But it’s one thing having greater powers, quite another using them.

All too often we see perpetrators of many different crimes up before our judges, only to be dealt soft sentences.

What these new guidelines do is give the judges greater powers to dish out longer sentences to offenders. It’s a moral victory for campaigners like John, but it will mean little if the judges do not implement their new powers.

The vast majority of the public welcome the changes. In particular, the new guidelines saying that those offenders caught carrying a knife can be given longer sentences.

They aim to ensure consistency in sentencing.

The current guidance gives the highest sentences to those offenders who make threats with knives - they will always receive sentences greater than six months.

The new guidelines could see longer jail terms for anyone simply caught in possession of a knife.

We are lucky in our community that knife crime is relatively rare, but for those who cross the line, they need to know they will be shown no mercy by the courts.

Unless the new guidelines are enforced, they won’t be worth the paper they’re written on.