THINK about the consequences of carrying a knife – that is the message from Warwickshire Police during a week-long knife surrender campaign which ends on Sunday (May 2).
The force has warned residents that they could face a four year prison sentence, get a criminal record, ruin their employment prospects, be excluded from education or be banned from travelling to some countries if they are caught with a blade.
Supt Mike Smith said: “Before you take the decision to carry a knife think about the consequences. These are just the consequences to you; the biggest consequence could come if you decide to use the knife and someone ends up getting seriously hurt or worse.
“People who carry knives make a conscious decision to do so. There is no excuse and no defence in court if you use it to commit a crime.”
The campaign, aimed at making Warwickshire’s streets safer by encouraging people to hand their weapons in anonymously at a police station, is running as part of the Operation Sceptre knife awareness campaign, a coordinated national initiative to tackle knife crime.
Knifes can be surrendered at police stations in Rugby, Leamington and Nuneaton until Sunday (May 2).
Those surrendering knives will not have to give any personal details and will not face prosecution for carrying them. However, the force will carry out an investigation and seek to prosecute if they believe a knife has been used to commit a criminal offence.
Possession of a knife can carry a prison sentence of up to four years. The minimum sentence for fatally stabbing someone is 25 years.
During Warwickshire Police’s last knife surrender campaign in 2019, 83 blades were handed in – 35 in Leamington, 17 in Stratford, 15 in Rugby, and 16 in Nuneaton.
