Burrowes welcomes tougher knife crime sentences
12th January 2010
Today in Parliament David Burrowes MP Shadow Justice Minister supported a new law to increase the starting point for knife murderers from 15 years to 25 years. The measure was in response to growing public concern about knife crime and high profile campaigns from families knife murder victims. In the Committee considering the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Mandatory Life Sentence:Determination of Minimum Term) Order 2009 David Burrowes pointed out how Enfield has been 'ravaged' by the impact of knife crime and welcomed the increase in sentence for an offender who is convicted of murder using a knife or other weapon which will now be more in line with the 30 year starting point for murderers using a firearm. The cross party consensus on the issue was broken by the Liberal Democrats who opposed the higher sentence for knife crime.
David Burrowes said :
"We sadly know in Enfield the impact of knife crime of lost young lives and a community ravaged. Tougher sentences for knife crime is one important measure to punish offenders and deter furture offending. I was pleased on behalf of the Conservatives to support this new law which puts knife crime more in line with gun crime. Parliament has sent out a clear message today that murderers using a knife could be given at least a 25 year prison sentence. It is a shame that the Liberal Democrats do not understand the level of public concern about knife crime and the need for tough action by Courts."
