By Tehreem Zahra and Beatrice Morandi
On Wednesday, 29th January 2025, a panel discussion took place focusing on the urgent issue of knife crime. The event featured Shaun Pascal, Detective Constable at the London Metropolitan Police, Sue Hedges, a mother who lost her son to knife violence, Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust, and Stefan Brown, CEO of Stop Our Kids From Being Killed (SOKBKOOS).
17:30 – Journalism Course Leader Wendy Sloane starts the event and hands over to Journalism Lecturer Aurora Herrera, who is chairing the event and welcomes the panelists and asks them to introduce themselves: Shaun Pascal, Sue Hedges, Patrick Green, and Stefan Brown – all well-known campaigners against knife crime.
17:33 – Shaun Pascal speaks first, talking about his role at the Met.
Sue Hedges, who tragically lost her son to knife crime in 2016, shares that she has raised money for anti-knife crime efforts, though she believes it shouldn’t be necessary. “Every single day, unity is the best,” she says.
Patrick Green emphasizes the importance of solidarity among families affected by knife crime. He believes that knife crime is preventable and that people need hope and opportunities to change their lives.
Stefan Brown shares his personal story: 20 years ago, his 12-year-old friend was fatally stabbed in a park by a 14-year-old. He gathered 200 people to address the issue, noting that losing a child leaves a permanent impact. “If you lose a child, it will never leave your body,” he reflects.
17:37 – The discussion shifts to where efforts should be focused. Patrick calls for more visible police on the streets and greater engagement with young people, urging more funding for creative spaces that offer alternatives to crime. Sue explains that it took her a long time to get into schools and reach young people, but it’s essential to show them the reality. “Happiness in young people comes when they feel safe,” she says.
Stefan adds that being allowed to talk in schools is difficult, adding that the issue is a community one, not about race. He stresses the importance of teaching young people that they can become lawyers and role models, and that education should start from day one.
17:44 – The conversation moves to education and mentoring. Panelists agree that young people need guidance, not for money but to save lives. “It takes a community to raise our kids,” Stefan says. Patrick stresses that adults need to engage with kids before they get caught up in the criminal justice system. Collaboration within communities is key.
17:49 – On the glamourisation of knife crime in media, Shaun comments on the relationship between young people and social media. They’re exposed to violence, and social platforms’ algorithms feed them more of what they want to see, so if they look at knives, soon their feed will be filled with more knives.
Patrick points out that when he was growing up, there was an understanding that punk rock culture was anarchist, but today’s generation is exposed to a much darker glorification of violence. He criticises social media for prioritising profit over safety, including selling knives without ID verification.
17:56 – Sue stresses that carrying a knife should result in a sentence, and there needs to be clear accountability. Earlier, she said that her son may be alive today if the youth who killed him had been previously locked up for carrying a knife. “Rehabilitation only works up to a point,” she says.
17:58 – The conversation turns to young women. Patrick emphasizes that it’s crucial to speak with young women, who are often “underrepresented” in discussions about knife crime. Shaun adds that they can be easily manipulated into carrying knives.
Photo by Beatrice Morandi
18:00 – Student Ellie Chapman brings up the connection between knife crime and domestic violence, particularly in homes where children witness abuse. Stefan comments that children who grow up in these environments see violence as “normal” and often repeat the behaviour. Patrick adds that domestic violence is often a driver of knife crime, with many affected children growing up in difficult environments.
18:06 – A question is posed about how the police can become more approachable to families who are scared to speak out. Shaun emphasises the need to highlight the many good police officers out there, and to make sure that police officers engage with the community in a positive way.
18:10 – Student Daniela Dogbe asks Patrick about the importance of giving young people the chance to make the right decisions while feeling safe. He agrees, saying that young people often carry knives as if they are “pieces of jewellery,” without understanding the consequences. “You carry a knife, you go to jail,” he warns.
18:16 – A question from the audience touches on the fact that many young people don’t realize the full extent of the damage they’re causing until it’s too late. Sue shares her painful story about the young man who killed her son. “The killer of my son wasn’t a child; he was 19,” she says. “He was selling drugs, and his parents went to church every week. Did I ask to be in this situation? No, but here I am.”
Patrick adds that he doesn’t believe rehabilitation works for everyone.
18:25 – A question about social media’s role in promoting knife crime leads to a discussion about how gangs prey on vulnerable young people. Patrick points out that social media is a big part of the problem, as young people are often lured into criminality through these platforms.
18:27 – When asked what message they would give to someone carrying a knife, Stefan’s response is simple but powerful: “Put the knife down. It’s going to end in tears and fear. Put it down.”
18:29 – Student Niamh Hatfield asks the panel whether their mentoring efforts need to be updated in light of recent events, such as the Southport stabbing. Shaun believes that consistency is key in building trust between communities and the police.
18:36 – One panelist expresses the need for government intervention, stating that safety should always be a priority. “I give information to the police; they should be doing this before me,” they say. “It should be a collective effort.”
18:37 – Stefan links knife crime to cancer, explaining that to combat it, we need to have proper structures in place, like a strong police force, and allow the community to heal. Shaun agrees, calling knife crime an epidemic, and pointing out that it’s affecting all communities, not just one specific group.
18:42 – Sue shares that they have found strength in supporting other parents who have lost their children to knife crime. “Don’t keep it inside you,” they advise. “I’m learning to live without my son, and I’ll carry that with me until the day I die.”
18:48 – Final thoughts from the panelists:
- Patrick reminds the audience that while we may never stop kids from doing drugs, we can stop them from killing each other.
- Shaun calls for unity and stronger communities.
- Sue reflects on the collapse of family life and the importance of rebuilding relationships.
- Patrick concludes that we need more people involved in prevention. “If you want to stop knife crime, you need to stop it from happening in the first place.”
The panel, with Aurora on far right. Photo by Elspeth Chapman
18:55: Aurora concludes the panel by thanking everyone for their participation.
18:59: Wendy thanks everyone, saying that we have a lot of food for thought, and giving special gratitude to Aurora for doing such a splendid job as chair.
Leave a Reply