Doorstep drop-offs of knives bought online are set to be banned under a Labour push to prevent the “next Southport attack”.
The delivery loophole, which was used by murderer Axel Rudakubana before he killed three girls and attempted to kill eight more people, will be closed in just months – with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper labelling the ease of obtaining a knife by children “a disgrace”.
Tech firms like Amazon will be barred from delivering knives to anyone other than the person who bought it, raising the total number of age and ID checks in the ordering process to three.
The ban will come alongside “two-step verification” for online purchases, with every buyer required to provide ID such as a passport and a video “selfie” to prove they are who they say they are.
PICTURED: A knife identical to the one used by Axel Rudakubana in his Southport killing spree
PA
The sale of knives with three-inch blades or longer is currently off-limits to anyone under the age of 18, in shops or online – with the new measures designed to beef up this rule.
Meanwhile, anyone who breaches the ban will face up to six months in jail.
Rudakubana side-stepped the ban and Amazon’s existing checks by using software to disguise his internet address and identity – with the two kitchen knives he bought handed to an adult, understood to be one of his parents, at his home address in Southport.
The delivery driver handed over the parcel, addressed to Axel Rudakubana, after establishing the recipient looked over 25 and had ID to prove it.
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The delivery driver handed over the parcel, addressed to Axel Rudakubana (pictured), after establishing the recipient looked over 25
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And under Labour’s new proposals, only the person who placed the order will be allowed to receive the parcel, and will be subjected to ID and age checks at the door to ensure they are 18 or older.
Yvette Cooper said: “It’s a total disgrace how easy it still is for children to get dangerous weapons online.
“More than two years after Ronan Kanda was killed with a ninja sword bought by a teenager online, too many retailers still don’t have proper checks in place.
“It’s too easy to put in false birth dates… parcels are too often being dropped off at a doorstop with no questions asked.
“We cannot go on like this. We need much stronger checks, before you buy, before it’s delivered.
“The measures I am setting out today will be crucial in addressing this problem and are part of our Plan for Change and mission to make streets safer.”
Yvette Cooper (right) said it remains ‘a total disgrace how easy it still is for children to get dangerous weapons online’
PA
The new ID checks were put forward in a report by Commander Stephen Clayman, the national police lead on knife crime, who was asked by Cooper last year to carry out a full review into the sale and delivery of knives online.
Alongside the knife crackdown, Labour are also set to introduce new laws to “hold social media executives to account” for knife crime-related content which glorifies and incites violence amongst young people – which Cooper has warned could “inspire other attacks”.
Social media bosses will face fines worth up to £10,000 for failing to swiftly remove such content – including marketing and adverts for banned weapons like zombie knives, ninja swords and machetes.
Meanwhile, police will receive greater powers to order social media firms to remove offending content within 48 hours or be fined.
The measures will fall under the Crime and Policing Bill – expected to be introduced to Parliament by spring.
