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'Amazon must be held to account over knife sales' says mum of murdered teen
Pooja Kanda, whose son 16-year-old son Ronan was murdered in a senseless case of mistaken identity in 2022, said it is 'horrendous' that Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was able to buy a knife online
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Pooja Kanda, whose son 16-year-old son Ronan was murdered in a senseless case of mistaken identity in 2022, said it is 'horrendous' that Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was able to buy a knife onlineCampaigner Pooja Kanda with her son Ronan, who was murdered in 2022 (Image: PR/Collect)
Companies like Amazon must be held to account for selling knives without proper checks, the mum of a murdered teen has said.
Pooja Kanda, whose 16-year-old son Ronan was killed in a senseless attack as he walked home, told The Mirror that tough new laws are needed urgently. On Tuesday it emerged that Southport killer Axel Rudakubana bought the knife he used to kill three young girls at a Taylor Swift dance class on Amazon.
Keir Starmer has promised action, saying it is "shockingly easy" for killers to get their hands on deadly weapons online. Pooja said: "It's horrendous to see.
"Changing the law is vital, we need to address the reason young people are able to get their hands on these type of weapons. The selling of these weapons isn't strict enough.
"It's absolutely vital we do this as quickly as possible so companies like Amazon can be held to account for not doing proper checks." She called on the Government to bring in a licensing system for online retailers that sell blades to ensure they are thoroughly checking who they are selling to.
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was able to buy a deadly knife on Amazon (Image:
MERSEYSIDE POLICE/AFP via Getty) Keir Starmer pledged new laws to clamp down on online knife sales (Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Pooja also urged ministers to roll out better support - such as expanding youth services - to youngsters at risk of turning to violence. "We need to make them understand that the path they are on isn't the right one," she said.
The heartbroken mum has campaigned for new laws to prevent families going through similar tragedies. Ronan was stabbed with a ninja sword in a sickening case of mistaken identity in Wolverhampton in 2022. One of his killers, Prabjeet Veadhesa, had purchased the 20-inch sword and a number of other blades from a site called DNA Leisure using his mum's ID.
He was able to collect the parcel unchallenged on the day Ronan was attacked. The Government has promised new laws to ensure tech execs who fail to stop dangerous and illegal knives being advertised on their platforms will be held personally liable. Senior executives will face fines if they market illegal weapons and glorify violence.
The Government has promised new laws, which could see retailers forced to ask anyone buying a knife for two types of identification. Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Starmer said: "It is unacceptable that these murder weapons could be bought with two clicks. Technology is there to stop it, and we're going to take action."
He told MPs: "The senseless, barbaric murder of three young girls in Southport was devastating. A measure of justice has been done, but for the victims, the injured and the affected, we must see a fundamental change in how Britain protects its citizens and its children."
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said it is a "a total disgrace" that Rudakubana, then 17 and with a history of violence, was able to buy a weapon online. She said there would be new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill this spring.
Under the shake-up of online knife sale laws, buyers could be asked to submit an official identity document, such as a passport or driving licence, and also record a live video to prove their age. The current law states that retailers must verify the age of the customer before selling a knife and, for those bought online, at the point of collection or delivery.
Amazon has said it is launching an urgent investigation into the weapon being sold to Rudakubana. An Amazon spokesman said: "We take our responsibility around the sale of all age-restricted items - including bladed products - extremely seriously and have launched an urgent investigation in relation to this tragic case.
"We use trusted ID verification services to check name, date of birth and address details whenever an order is placed for these bladed items. We have an age-verification-on-delivery process that requires drivers to verify the recipient's age through an app on their devices before handing over a parcel containing an age-restricted item."
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