Tashan Daniel's cousin calls in to challenge London Mayor candidate on knife crime

4 December 2019, 19:18

The cousin of Tashan Daniel, who was fatally stabbed at Hillingdon Underground station in an unprovoked attack, challenged London Mayor candidate Siobhan Benita on how Lib Dems will tackle knife crime.

Tashan was on the way to the Emirates stadium to watch Arsenal when he was stabbed at 4pm outside the tube station in what the British Transport Police have confirmed as an unprovoked attack.

Justin pointed out that according to statistics, by next week another five people will have died from knife crime.

"People don't appreciate the trauma that is left behind not just in families but in communities," said Ms Benita. "We are saying quite clearly that yes you have to focus on enforcement...but if you only focus on enforcement and the criminal justice side of things, I believe that you're already at the end of the issue."

She said the government needs to shift focus to early intervention and the underlying causes and understand what young people are dealing with, potential warning signs in young people, signals that young people are pulled into gangs.

Justin, Tashan's cousin, said it was a "very good" answer however said it would take a long time to implement.

"Funding for youth services is incredibly important," he said.