The Government Doesn't Listen To Us: Gangs And Youth Violence Consultant

3 March 2019, 17:30 | Updated: 3 March 2019, 17:47

A consultant on gangs and serious youth violence issues a plea for the government to listen to campaigners after two teenagers were stabbed to death less than 24 hours apart.

Sheldon Thomas told Ian Payne that the government doesn't listen and instead "want to give you the impression they have it all under control".

"Unfortunately we've got a government that doesn't really listen to people like us.

"I've been saying that knife crime and street violence is going to get worse and the age group is going to get younger but they don't listen.

The Gangsline consultant also referred to a comments made by Watford striker Troy Deeney in an interview, where he said social media is mostly to blame for creating a "snowball effect".

Mr Thomas said: "He said that we can talk all day about interventions, but this is a societal problem."

"Most of these young men and women in this lifestyle, in this knife violence, they don't feel like a part of society.

We've got to make young people feel a part of society, that means when they leave school they've got options like a decent apprenticeship, doing construction courses like brick laying or electrical work.

All of these things needs to be in secondary school so that young people who don't want to go to university can feel a part of society that they can fit into.

"Street violence is winning because we've got no options for our kids."