Minister vows to tighten up rules on shops selling knives

Minister Karen Bradley said she would consider changes ahead of a meeting with Gulsen Alkan, whose husband was killed by a man who grabbed a knife from a shelf at a Poundland branch in Abingdon in December.

Officials also told the Standard that Whitehall will soon release new guidelines on how shops can help reduce knife crime.

Ms Bradley said Ms Alkan “has been incredibly brave following the death of her husband last year” and added: “I am determined to do whatever I can to prevent a tragedy such as this and will be meeting retailers to discuss how we can work together to tackle the issue of knife crime.”

Mother-of-two Ms Alkan launched her “sell knives safely” campaign after husband Julian Skrebowski was killed on her birthday on December 7.

Almost 12,000 people have signed Ms Alkan’s petition on change.org urging retailers to take action. Current laws stop shops selling knives to under-18s but there are no rules requiring them to be locked away.

Ms Alkan, backed by her MP Nicola Blackwood, wants ministers and police chiefs to ensure blades are kept in cases or behind shop counters. She said: “It breaks my heart I wasn’t there for my husband when he was killed. I want to do something... support my petition.”

A man has been charged with murder after the attack and is due to appear at Oxford crown court on March 7.