Knifing epidemic must be eradicated

12.00.00am GMT Thu 5th Jun 2008

Commenting on Gordon Brown's proposal that the presumption to prosecute for carrying knifes should extend to 16 year olds, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Knife carrying leads to violence and injury, and there can be no justification for carrying knives at any age.

"It is right to prosecute even 16 year olds so that everyone knows that knife-carrying is unacceptable in a civilised society.

"But the Government also needs to reassure youngsters with more visible policing, intelligence-led stop and search, metal-detecting arches, and police briefing in schools.

"We must eradicate this epidemic of knifing."