Watch Colin Knox's
interview with KM Group reporter Patrick Gearey

Exclusive by Patrick
Gearey

“I've promised my son that his death wouldn't
be in vain”

The words of Colin Knox, whose Harry Potter
actor son Rob was stabbed to death outside a Sidcup bar last year,
and who is now fighting to introduce mandatory six-month sentences
for anyone caught with a knife.

Mr Knox, 56, of Empire
Walk, Greenhithe, has met the Prime Minister and Home
Secretary to discuss his idea to take knives and the people who
carry them off the streets.

He spent time talking with both Gordon Brown
and Alan Johnson in Downing Street this week and says he has been
promised answers to letters he has sent to the government on the
issue.

It comes soon after it was revealed that
official campaigns to reduce knife crime have failed to reduce
stabbing deaths in targeted areas. Mr Knox believes there is not a
strong enough deterrent to people considering carrying blades.

“You can arrest a guy, take him to court and
fine him £50 and send him on his way. He can go back out again to
get another life.

“We have got a massive cut here and they are
trying to put TCP on it. We should be stitching it up”

Mr Knox wants those caught with knives to be
given counselling and education rather than simply serve a jail
term.

“I feel we should be extracting the knife
carriers and taking them off the streets.

“There are a lot of kids out there who have
not been educated efficiently. We live in a green society. We
should not be throwing people away."

He wants people to join the group on http://www.familiesutd.com/ or
their Facebook group to support their fight to clean up the
streets. Charlton Athletic’s community trust has teamed up with Mr
Knox to provide activities for young people that keep them from
getting involved in violent crime.

Charlton Athletic’s community trust will be
holding a dinner to commemorate the life of Rob- who watched home
games at The Valley with his dad- in October and are inviting
people to buy tickets.