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13 March 2019
Vol 26 l Issue 11
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SISTER OF STAB DEATH VICTIM BACKS KNIFE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BY POLICE
Archbishop Sentamu in Formby
Report by Danielle Thompson THE sister of a young man who was stabbed to death on a night out, has welcomed a police campaign to highlight the dangers of knife crime. Laura Hughes, 36, who lives in Formby, was 18 when her brother Colin McGinty, 21, was stabbed 15 times by a gang of four men in Bootle in 2001. Colin was believed to have been mistaken for someone else. Two of the gang were jailed for a minimum of 16 years. Since his death, the family have campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of knife crime. Now, following a spate of knife-related deaths nationally, Merseyside Police are taking part in the Knife Crime Awareness Week campaign to publicly demonstrate the work they are doing and to ask the public to share important messages and have key conversations with those likely to be involved in knife crime. Officers will be carrying out stop searches, open land searches and weapon sweeps as well as having knife amnesty bins in police stations. High visibility patrols will be using knife arches or wands at key times in busy locations and officers will be linking in with door-staff and licensed premises. Laura told the Champion: “We are supporting the Knife Crime Awareness Week with our running team who are all taking part in various events across the area wearing our ‘No More Knives’ branded t-shirts. “We are working closely with Merseyside Police and we have eight members of the force who are all part of the ‘In Memory of Colin McGinty’ running team. “My husband and I also took part in a Strictly Come Dancing-style competition on Friday, March 8 at Formby Hall in memory of Colin and our knife awareness cam-
INSIDE THIS WEEK...
Laura Hughes (front, pink coat) with runners showing off their new t-shirts
paign .” Of the week-long initiative which runs until Sunday, March 17, Inspector Andy Creer from Merseyside Police, said: “A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to address the issue of knife crime and what can be done about it but one of the most important tools we have is education. “Most people probably Colin McGinty - killed in don’t realise that carrya knife attack ing a knife can make a young person up to 60% more likely to become a victim of knife crime themselves. “Nobody wants to be a statistic and I want to appeal
directly to parents and guardians - talk to your children about knife crime, educate them of the dangers and help us to make it socially unacceptable for anyone to carry a knife when they go out. “Anyone who chooses to pick up a knife could be throwing away their lives and destroying the lives of others. “Merseyside has seen at first hand the tragedy of knife crime and the effect it can have on the victims, the knife crime offenders and the families left behind. Nobody wants that knock on the door from the police so please, have that conversation with your loved ones. “I want to reassure our communities that we will continue our work day in and day out and we are committed to getting rid of the problem of knife crime by working closely with our partners to help prevent and disrupt criminal activity. Continued inside
Pride award for Kevin CROSSWORD See Page 32
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