Mother of tragic Jack in plea over stabbings

The mother of a teenager stabbed to death outside an unmanned police station today made an impassioned plea to young people to stop carrying knives.

Julie Maddison, 44, spoke after Jack Large, 14, was knifed on Friday night in Grange Hill, Essex. The popular schoolboy had emergency surgery but died on Sunday with his parents by his side. Two boys, aged 13 and 14, were last night charged with murder. Jack is the 25th teenager to be murdered in the capital this year, with 16 stabbed to death.

Ms Maddison said Jack had recently campaigned against knife crime and she revealed that more than 70 friends turned up at the Royal London Hospital hospital as he battled to stay alive.

She added: "It's not worth kids carrying knives on the streets, it's got to stop. Those who were there at the hospital saw the effects of knife crime. Jack had turned himself around during the past year. He has been trying really hard at school and recently was involved in an anti-knife campaign."