Brown follows Standard lead and prosecutes knife carriers

Gordon Brown sped up action against knives today by telling police to make an immediate start prosecuting all over-16s caught carrying them.

In a victory for the Evening Standard's campaign to protect teenagers from the menace, the Prime Minister said prosecutors will begin taking a tougher line from tonight.

In our five-point plan, we demanded that everbody found with a knife should be prosecuted rather than cautioned.

Mr Brown told the Standard: "We have to send out a message and reinforce it with immediate action. It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife. Young people need to understand that carrying knives doesn't protect you, it does the opposite - it increases the danger for all of us, destroys young lives and ruins families.

"I am pleased to see the Police and the Courts working with us to tackle this and make the streets safe in all our communities."

Mr Brown spoke after hosting a Downing Street summit with police and legal chiefs, arguing there should be a "presumption to prosecute" in most cases. At present, carriers usually escape with cautions except in knife "hot-spots" and even then only for over-18s. Mr Brown said there should be prosecutions in future in all areas and for 16 and 17-year-olds as well.

He was backed by the police chiefs and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald said robbers who use knives would be prosecuted for carrying the weapon as well as the main offence in future, a move that would give the courts powers to confiscate the blade. "What we want people to understand is they put themselves at risk carrying these sorts of weapons."

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said anyone over 16 who was found to be in possession of a knife would expect to go to court, even on a first offence.

Under 16s would be treated differently. Those who commit offences without aggravating factors will expect a caution coupled with referral to a knife education scheme to help them understand the dangers and consequences of carrying knives. Their parents may receive parenting orders to compel them to play a part in changing their child's behaviour.

"I am serious about getting knives off our streets," said Ms Smith. "Those who carry a knife need to know that they will face tough consequences."

But the plan was criticised by Rod Morgan, former chairman of the Youth Justice Board, who said youngsters carrying pen knives with no gang involvement would end up criminalised.

He said police should be allowed discretion to decide whether prosecution was appropriate. "The police already have all the powers they need," he said. A senior London magistrate has also spoken out on the issue. Caroline Healy, a magistrate at adult courts in Highgate and Barnet, said the current debate on knife crime and gang culture was unhelpful as it focused on crime and not on the reasons why young people are turning to gangs and weapons. She said: "We need to identify children's needs early to avoid them ending up in the criminal justice system, which does not help them one little bit to address their problems. Ms Healy, 53, who works as a government adviser on children's services and is a former director of children's helpline Childline, said: "We have to ask why they need to have the comfort of gangs in order to function. The extent of today's gang culture is what's worrying." She said it was a "sad reflection on our society that life is so cheap".