Knife crime: Kids aged seven carrying knives, Liverpool campaigner says

Anti-knife campaigner Alan Walsh says he is being asked to give talks at primary schools for the first time

Children as young as seven are getting embroiled in knife crime, a stab victim and campaigner has said.

Alan Walsh, who founded Real Men Don't Carry Knives, said he was stabbed multiple times and almost died.

He said he had seen a boy aged seven who had been slashed with "a machete across his hands", and knew of children the same age carrying knives.

Mr Walsh said he was being asked to go into primary schools in Liverpool to tackle the issue for the first time.

"I've never done that in my career," he said.

"It's the scourge of our city at the moment."

Mr Walsh runs Anfield and North Liverpool Boxing Club, which he uses to steer youngsters away from gangs and knife culture.

Every youngster who joins the club taking part in a knife crime reduction session.

"The worst [knife attack] I've seen was a seven-year-old had been slashed, a machete across his hands," he said.

"It's rare we see seven-year-olds carrying knives, but it's not as rare as it should be.

"The ones I've come across aren't getting forced into it, they just pull a knife out of their house and brought it with them because they think that's what everyone else is doing."

Toni Lappin's son was stabbed to death in 2008

Toni Lappin said, whose teenage son Joseph was stabbed to death in Everton in 2008, also campaigns to raise awareness of the effects of knife and gang crime.

Joseph, a 16-year-old army cadet from Old Swan, was attacked outside Shrewsbury House youth club by a gang of 10 youths and men.

"We were starting to get a handle on [knife crime], but it's just gone crazy," Ms Lappin said.

"That's all you hear about, kids being stabbed and the consequences, sadly, I'll all too aware of.

"It's horrendous and everybody needs to do their bit, everybody."

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