Ben Gillham-Rice: Father calls for longer jail terms for knife crime

Ben Gillham-Rice was a "gentle giant", his father said

The father of a boy who was fatally stabbed at a birthday party is calling for instant and harsher jail terms for anyone involved in knife crime.

Ben Gillham-Rice and Dom Anash, both 17, were killed at a party in Milton Keynes on 19 October 2019.

Mr Gillham-Rice's father, Jason Rice, said: "As a family we don't live any more, we just exist."

The Home Office said people caught with knives "are more likely to be sent to jail than they were a decade ago".

Attackers carried out a gang-related "revenge" raid at a house party which Mr Rice, who was not a gang member, was attending.

Earl Bevans, 23, Charlie Chandler, 23, Clayton Barker, 20, and two 17-year-olds were jailed for life for their murders last year.

Mr Rice said there needed to be a "bigger deterrent" for those carrying knives " to "make people think twice."

Jason Rice said tougher sentences were needed to deter knife crime

He said the effect of knife crime on his family had been "absolutely catastrophic".

"We never rest, never get any peace, it's on our minds 24/7 and we have to live with it now for the rest of our lives until we go," he said.

"It's so devastating, there's nothing worse that could happen to someone than to lose a child like this. It's unbelievable and it's not needed."

Mr Rice said his son "had a heart of gold" and was "a big gentle giant".

Since the killings, Mr Rice said he struggled to sleep and watched videos of his son every night before bed to feel like his son "is still here".

"Obviously you hope and think what happened to my boy and his mate Dom will have sent shockwaves and made people think. But it hasn't," he said.

The two boys had met at Oxley Park Academy in 2006, when they were four years old

Earlier this month Thames Valley Police announced Operation Deter, to crack down on the culture of knife carrying, where offenders are being charged and sent straight to court.

The offence of carrying a knife in public carries a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment or a fine in a Magistrates' Court - and up to four years' imprisonment in a Crown Court.

Mr Rice wants the minimum sentence to be increased to five years.

"I think the sentences have to be higher, it's hard to do that but you've got to give a bigger deterrent to make people think 'if I do use this I'm going away for a long time'," he said.

"I don't want to be sending kids, people to jail but we've got to have a bigger deterrent make people think twice, and whatever that is needs to be done."

Clayton Barker, Earl Bevans, Charlie Chandler, Jamie Chandler and Ben Potter must serve minimum sentences of between 22 and 28 years

The Conservative Thames Valley police and crime commissioner, Matthew Barber, said he supported Mr Rice's plea but said the force's current operation was working.

"Where people have been found with weapons they have been stopped by the police, either in the commission of other offences or through stop and search, they've been arrested, taken into custody, charged and presented to the courts the next morning," he said.

"There are a number of cases where we are awaiting sentencing from the courts, I think that does show this is starting to have an impact."

A government spokesman said: "Our sincere condolences go to the family of Ben Gillham-Rice for their devastating loss.

"Each young life lost to violence is one too many and no one should have to put their child to rest, or worry that they won't make it home.

"While judges decide sentences, those caught carrying a knife are more likely to be sent to jail than they were a decade ago and new laws mean more repeat offenders face time behind bars."

It added that Knife Crime Prevention Orders, which aim to steer at-risk young people away from violent crime or carrying a knife, were being trialled in London before a decision to roll them out nationally was made.