Tommy's Law Anti-Knife Crime Campaign

To register for future updates on the progress of this campaign, E-mail Bill (rammellb@parliament.uk) 

Harlow resident Mel Hopwood’s son, Tommy Jones, was murdered in a knife attack at a pub in North London in September 2006. Mel and her family are determined to ensure that something positive comes out of this senseless act of violence.  

Late last year she approached Bill to seek his advice and support for an anti-knife crime campaign in the area. After lots of research about knife crime and the current law and several meetings to discuss the proposals, Bill and Mel agreed the wording of a petition, which sets out six key proposals where they would like to see more action to tackle knife crime and halt the growing culture of people carrying knifes, particularly young people.

The "Tommy's Law" petition is below. If you want to help Mel and Bill make a difference, sign up to the petition using the links at the bottom of this page.

'Tommy's Law' campaign aims to tackle knife crime and halt the growing culture of knife carrying in our community. The campaigners call upon those involved in the criminal justice system (the Government, the sentencing Guidelines Council, the Judiciary and the Police Force) to work for:

1. CLEARER SENTENCING

Clearer, more robust sentencing guidelines for violent crime and particularly for those who carry out premeditated acts of violence. We also suggest a principle that individuals convicted of violent crime who knowingly carried the weapon to the scene be awarded harsher sentences, to reflect the element of premeditation in carrying that weapon.

2. MINIMUM SENTENCES FOR KNIFE CRIME

The introduction of a mandatory minimum sentence for knife associated crime, including the carrying of a knife without good reason.

3. ACCURATE RECORDING OF KNIFE CRIME

The addition of knife crime incidents to the annual national recording of crime statistics.

4. KNIFE CRIME TARGETS

The development of local and national knife crime targets for the police.

5. ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
 

We call upon the National & Local government to review the current provisions for activities for young people in the UK. To examine if the activities provided through local & national schemes are appealing to young people and more specifically to the young people most in need?

6. EDUCATION PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS

We propose a nationwide education program in schools to bring home the realities of knife crime. The program should be aimed at breaking the illusion that carrying a knife is cool or should earn you respect & bring home in a very real way the risk knives pose & the devastating effect they can have on individuals, families & communities.

If you would like to show your support for the campaign please click here to sign the petition.