Britain on Sunday announced it will enforce stricter age-verification checks for knife sales, aimed at preventing children from purchasing dangerous weapons. This comes just days after a teenager admitted to the harrowing knife attack in July, which tragically claimed the lives of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event.
Axel Rudakubana, the 17-year-old responsible for the attack, shocked the nation and prompted Prime Minister Keir Starmer to label the incident as one of Britain’s darkest moments. A public inquiry is now underway to investigate the failings that allowed Rudakubana to carry out his act of violence.
The government’s renewed focus is on tightening regulations around knife purchases. Current laws mandate age verification systems for retailers, but their enforcement lacks clarity.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper voiced her outrage over Rudakubana’s ability to buy a knife online, describing it as a “disgrace”. She added, “It’s too easy to put in false birth dates, and parcels are too often being dropped off with no questions asked.”
In response, new measures will require retailers to check photo identification both at the point of sale and delivery. Additionally, deliveries will only be handed over to the person who placed the order, closing a loophole that allowed Rudakubana to acquire the weapon.
This change will be part of a new bill, expected to make its way through Parliament in the coming months.