Tougher age checks and penalties to be introduced for online knife sales

Online retailers selling knives will need to carry out more stringent age verification checks in response to a government review, amid rising concerns over the standards for age and delivery checks. As part of the new measures, retailers will be required to implement a mandatory two-step verification process and report customers who bulk-buy blades, to prevent them from being sold through unregulated channels.

Tougher penalties will also be introduced, as individuals or CEOs of firms caught selling knives to under-18s could reportedly face up to two years in prison, up from the previous limit of six months. In addition, possessing an offensive weapon with intent for violence will now carry a maximum of four years in prison.

The measures will be known as Ronan’s Law in honour of teenager Ronan Kanda, who was stabbed to death in June 2022. His killer had purchased the knife online without any age checks or ID verification at the point of sale. It later emerged that he had bought more than 20 knives online.

According to The Times, ministers will also consult on whether a registration scheme should be implemented for all retailers so “responsible sellers” can lawfully sell knives. 

Commander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for knife crime, told The Times: “This is all about tackling supply. It’s far too easy to get hold of knives, prohibited or otherwise, often avoiding any age verification and exploiting vulnerabilities within delivery. There are more rules for buying paracetamol than buying a knife.”

Clayman added that his team had had “good conversations” with retailers regarding the measures, as well as the Crown Prosecution Service, Border Force and tech companies including TikTok, Snapchat and Meta.

A police unit with £1m in funding dedicated to tackling the online sale of knives has also been announced by the government. 

The Home Office, which commissioned Clayman to conduct the review in September, will publish his report today (19 February).

Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said: “It is horrifying how easy it is for young people to get hold of knives online even though children’s lives are being lost, and families and communities are left devastated as a result.

“Not enough has been done to tackle the online market over recent years which is why we made it an urgent priority in our manifesto and the measures today will be underpinned by investment for a new dedicated police unit to go after those who are breaking the law and putting children and teenagers lives at risk.”

Graham Wynn, assistant director of Regulatory Affairs at the British Retail Consortium, added: “Retailers take their responsibilities seriously and are fully committed to playing their part in making sure knives don’t make their way into the wrong hands. We look forward to considering the full details of the new proposal and welcome the commitment from the Home Office to meet retailers on this vital issue to ensure the safe sale of knives.”