The UK has announced it will compel retailers to adopt stricter age-verification measures to prevent minors from purchasing knives, following a recent incident where a teenager confessed to killing three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event.
Axel Rudakubana’s knife attack in July was labeled last week as one of the most distressing events in Britain’s history by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, prompting a public inquiry into the lapses that allowed the tragedy to occur.
As that inquiry is anticipated to concentrate on the failure of state institutions to heed warnings regarding the perpetrator prior to the attack, there is also increased scrutiny on the regulations surrounding knife sales.
Existing UK laws mandate that retailers implement an age verification system to prevent anyone under 18 from acquiring knives, yet certain aspects of these systems remain inadequately defined.
This morning, the government announced it will now require retailers to verify photo identification at both the point of sale and upon delivery, ensuring that packages can only be received by the individual who placed the order.
“It’s utterly disgraceful how easily children can access dangerous weapons online,” Ms. Cooper stated in a release.
“It’s all too simple to input false birth dates, and deliveries frequently go unanswered at front doors without any scrutiny.”
The new measures will be included in a bill anticipated to commence the legislative process in Parliament in the upcoming months.
