Borough’s leading figures discuss knife crime fears after latest tragic death

Islington Gazette: Pictured from left is activist Jay Kirton, Cherrie Smith, Danny O'Brien outside Islington town hall where they were collecting signatures for their anti-knife crime petitionPictured from left is activist Jay Kirton, Cherrie Smith, Danny O'Brien outside Islington town hall where they were collecting signatures for their anti-knife crime petition (Image: Dieter Perry)

The sister of stabbing victim Alan Cartwright is set to hand in a petition asking the government to toughen up on knife crime as Islington mourns the death of yet another teenager.

Stefan Appleton, 18, became the second teenager to be stabbed to death in the borough in less than four months when he was attacked with a machete outside Nightingale Park, Canonbury, on Wednesday of last week.

The attack, which followed a spate of high profile stabbings in the borough over the past couple months, has left the community in fear and brought back memories of the death of 15-year-old Alan, who was stabbed in the chest while cycling up Caledonian Road in February.

Now Alan’s sister, Cherrie Smith, is working with charity Anti Knife UK and asking for the community’s support to prevent others going through what Alan and Stefan’s families have endured.

Islington Gazette: Chf Sup Catherine RoperChf Sup Catherine Roper (Image: Archant)

“At the moment there seems to be a growing number of families in Islington going through pain and hurt, losing loved ones in a horrible way,” said Cherrie, 22.

“Especially last week – I don’t know the boy but his sister was in the year below me at school. I know exactly what she’s going through.

“Nobody will know what it’s like until they’re put through it.”

Cherrie found out about Anti Knife UK through its founder Danny O’Brien, who helped organise a vigil for Alan in Caledonian Road and has been campaigning for stricter laws and more support for families since the death of Islington teenager Ben Kinsella in 2008,

Mr O’Brien will be joined by Cherrie and six others on July 4 as they hand in a petition to the Prime Minister as part of a demonstration asking for greater support for families who lose loved ones, weapon awareness in schools and making it tougher to buy and import knives.

“Since it’s happened I’ve heard so much about people stabbing other people,” said Cherrie.

“If the petition is considered it would be a great start and we can then try and build it into a big, big deal.”

Alan would have been 16 this month, and Sam Fitzgerald, who was stabbed to death in 2010, would have 25 on Friday last week (June 12).

Islington Gazette: Councillor Paul ConveryCouncillor Paul Convery (Image: Archant)

Mr O’Brien said: “Every week it seems there is another stabbing in Islington. The amount of knifes they’re finding on knife sweeps is worrying.

“We’re in a society at the moment where people have just accepted knife crime as the norm. We don’t want to scare people but we’ve got to start to say this is not acceptable.

“Enough is enough.”

Follow this link to sign the petition.