"I lost my son, Ronan, to knife crime and mistaken identity."
Under Ronan’s Law, there will be stricter rules for online knife sales and tougher penalties for non-compliance, aiming to protect young people from knife crime.
Retailers must report suspicious knife purchases to police to prevent illegal resales.
Selling weapons to under-18s will carry a maximum sentence of two years, applicable to both individuals processing sales and company CEOs.
This also applies to banned weapons like zombie knives, closing a legal loophole.
A new offence of possessing a weapon with intent to cause violence will be introduced, carrying up to four years in prison.
The government will also consult on a registration scheme for online knife retailers to ensure only responsible sellers operate.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper 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.
“We are honouring our commitment to introduce Ronan’s Law in memory of Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed in 2022.
“I am so grateful to the Kanda family for their endless perseverance in ensuring governments take the right actions to protect young people from further tragedy.
“This government has set an ambitious mission for the country to halve knife crime over the next decade and we will pursue every possible avenue to save young lives.”
A government review identified serious weaknesses in online knife sales, with inadequate age verification allowing weapons to fall into the wrong hands.
A mandatory two-step verification system will now be introduced.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Knife Crime, Commander Stephen Clayman said:
“A key focus in our fight to tackle knife crime and improve the safety of our communities is limiting the accessibility of knives wherever possible, restricting their availability and the routes to purchase.
“All too often in policing, we are dealing with the horrific consequences of knife crime and seeing how it devastates individuals and families.
“The evidence in the end-to-end review clearly demonstrates just how easy it is for anyone to purchase a knife online, often avoiding any age verification at all, or where it is in place, exploiting vulnerabilities, especially with delivery.
“We welcome the government’s commitment in working with policing and partners to tackle knife crime and these new measures will significantly enhance our response to this.”
Ronan’s Law is named after Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022 in a case of mistaken identity.
His teenage killers illegally purchased weapons online without age verification, with one buying over 20 knives using his mother’s ID.
Mother of Ronan and campaigner, Pooja Kanda said:
“In 2022, I lost my son, Ronan, to knife crime and mistaken identity.
“In 2023, we sat in the courtroom where we were shown a Ninja sword and 25+ bladed articles. Looking at them, I knew my son didn’t stand a chance.
“Without proper ID checks, the online sale of these bladed articles played a crucial role in this tragedy. How was this allowed?
“A 16-year-old managed to get these weapons online and sold these weapons to other people.
“I knew we could not go on like this, and our fight for what was right had begun. Proper ID checks by sellers, as well as postal and delivery services, played a crucial role.
“We welcome the government’s plans to tackle the online sale of these weapons. Retailers, social media, and sellers need to take on more responsibilities.
“We welcome the proposal of a registration scheme, where the government will continue to implement stricter measures on the online sale of bladed articles.
“We have so much work to tackle knife crime; this is a much-needed beginning.
“This part of Ronan’s Law will provide much-needed barriers against knife crime. I wish this was done years ago, and my son would be with me today.”
Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said:
“I am pleased to see that the government is listening to frontline organisations and is tightening the legislation needed to eliminate the supply of dangerous and intimidating weapons.
“These new laws, particularly the focus on reporting suspicious purchases and stronger age verification, will compel retailers to take responsibility for their actions.
“It has been our stated position that a licencing system for retailers is only way to ensure that specialised knives are only sold to those with legitimate and lawful need.
“A licensing system will ensure that only reputable retailers who comply with the law and prioritise public safety will be able to sell knives.”
A consultation will be launched this spring on a possible retailer registration scheme.
The government will also impose fines of up to £10,000 on tech executives failing to remove illegal knife crime content.
A two-step ID verification system will require customers to provide photo ID at purchase and delivery, ensuring only the buyer can collect the item.
Ministers have acted to ban zombie-style knives and machetes, accelerate a ban on ninja swords, and regulate online knife sales.
Prevention remains a key focus through the Young Futures Programme, which identifies at-risk youth and provides early intervention.
Graham Wynn, Assistant Director of Regulatory Affairs at the British Retail Consortium, said:
“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.”
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