Knife amnesty in Holyhead follows stabbing

Feb 3 2010

Leon Jones funeral

A KNIFE amnesty will be launched at Friday’s march in memory of Leon Jones, the young man stabbed to death in Holyhead last November.

Inspector Nigel Harrison, one of the speakers at the march in Holyhead, will launch the amnesty, which will allow anyone who hands in a knife to do so without fear of prosecution.

The Mail is backing the campaign, which will include "amnesty bins" at police stations, where knives can be deposited.

Holyhead mayor and county councillor John Chorlton, who will also speak at the march, said: "I hope the march will draw attention to the seriousness of carrying knives, and that the amnesty will encourage youngsters to give up knives and get on with life, to live it as it should be led.

"Hopefully, Leon’s death will not have been in vain, and no more lives will be cut short by a stupid act. I hope the message will spread the length and breadth of the island."

Organiser David Hughes said "hundreds" were expected at the march, which leaves the town’s Netto store at 6pm.

The route will take marchers past the Tan yr Efail estate where Mr Jones was stabbed and end at the town hall, where a petition calling for tougher sentences for knife crime will be handed to Albert Owen MP.

"Leon’s girlfriend has had T-shirts printed for the march, with Leon’s picture and the ‘dump the knife, save a life’ slogan on them," said Mr Hughes.

Rev Canon Christine Llewelyn, high sheriff of Gwynedd Norman Corbett and Mr Owen will also speak at the march.

The amnesty was proposed at the first meeting of the Leon Jones fund in December.

It was hoped an "amnesty bus" could tour youth clubs and schools, but Mr Hughes said this idea had to be scrapped due to safety fears.

"We are still looking into the possibility of having an amnesty bin at the youth club, as some may be wary of going to the police station," he said.