Ronan’s Law: New Measures to Tackle Knife Crime
Knife crime remains a pressing issue across the UK, with young lives tragically lost in incidents involving dangerous weapons. In response, the Government continues to announce stricter regulations for knife sales.
These changes, now known as Ronan’s Law, will introduce tougher penalties and improved oversight to prevent knives from falling into the wrong hands.
What Are the Changes for Retailers?
Retailers selling knives online will face tighter regulations and increased responsibility under the new measures, set to come into effect this spring. Key changes include:
- Mandatory Reporting: Retailers will be required to report bulk or suspicious knife purchases to the police.
- Stronger Photo ID Checks: Retailers must implement robust photo identity checks at the point of sale and during delivery.
- Increased Penalties: Jail terms for selling knives to under-18s will rise from six months to two years. These penalties apply to both individuals processing sales and company executives.
- Age Verification Shared Responsibility: New legislation will make both sellers and couriers accountable for ensuring proper age verification.
- Registration Consultation: A consultation will explore the introduction of a licensing scheme for online knife sellers.
For retailers, these changes will likely require operational adjustments and increased training investments. We echo the Governments mission and believe these changes to be imperative for improving public safety.
Ronan’s Law
The legislation is named in memory of Ronan Kanda, a 16-year-old who was tragically murdered in Wolverhampton in 2020.
Ronan was killed with a 22-inch sword, purchased online by a fellow school pupil using his mother’s ID to bypass age restrictions. Over several months, the perpetrator amassed nearly 30 knives and machetes through online purchases.
Ronan’s heartbreaking story highlights the urgent need for tighter controls and robust age-verification processes to prevent such tragedies.
Ronan’s Law seeks to close these loopholes, introducing measures that protect communities and honour Ronan’s memory.
The Government is clearly keen to tackle this issue as a matter of priority.
The introduction of Ronan’s Law represents another significant step forward in the fight against knife crime. By imposing stricter regulations and holding both retailers and delivery providers accountable, these measures seek to create safer communities and prevent further tragedies.
For retailers, navigating these changes may feel daunting, but compliance is crucial for public safety.
Serve Legal is here to support businesses in adapting to these legislative updates, ensuring you remain compliant and informed. Get in touch with our team today to discuss how we can support your operational efforts to keep customer, community and colleague safety paramount.
