Anti-knife campaigner Danny Maddocks' plea to parents

Craig Maddocks was murdered in a knife attack at the Cambrian Vaults pub, Wrexham, in June 2013. He was 34.

His brother Danny Maddocks, from Wrexham, continues to campaign against the carrying of blades.

And following the sentencing of a Flintshire 14-year-old earlier this month for a shocking roadside attack on another teenager with a kitchen knife, Mr Maddocks spoke out.

READ MORE: 14-year-old stabbed boy so hard he snapped kitchen knife, court told

He said: "Knife crime is still on the high by the sound of it, I hear about quite a bit of it.

"It seems like the age range of people carrying them is getting lower and lower all the time.

Mr Maddocks has urged youths not to carry blades

"Whether that's caused by drugs, gangs or something else - I don't know.

"I'd urge parents to try and be aware of what their children have with them and make sure your knives are all still in the kitchen.

"We should be talking about this; ask them if they've ever carried a knife, or if they'd be willing to, because it's getting to the stage where we need to be asking."

In the case of the 14-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, the court heard it was "pure luck" that he hadn't killed his victim.

He had stabbed him so hard in the chest that the eight inch knife snapped and the victim's lung collapsed.

READ MORE: 'There's no excuse to carry a knife - they utterly ruin lives'

Speaking directly to young people who may be considering carrying a blade, Mr Maddocks said: "Don't carry a knife - put it down.

"Don't cause another tragedy in someone else's family.

"If anyone's aware of someone carrying a knife, speak out.

"Tell someone - tell your local police officer, or someone at school. Just make someone aware, nothing has to be said about where the information came from.

Insp Stephen Roberts, left, and a knife (image: Pixabay)

"If you're too scared, then you can tell me. I'm not going to point fingers at anyone - I just want to stop things like this from happening."

Mr Maddocks can be reached via his campaign's Facebook page, "Onthe KnifeEdge."

The campaigner, who has delivered knife awareness sessions to many students in the Wrexham area, hopes to continue working with schools and educating youths when covid restrictions permit.

Following the sentencing of the teenager, Flintshire North Inspector Stephen Roberts issued a plea in the strongest terms to parents and children across his district about weapons.

"Carrying knives in public is unacceptable," he said, "whatever the rationale you may believe you have.

"Generally one reason people give is that it's for their protection. But that's not acceptable. There's no excuse, it ruins lives."