Priti Patel announces curfews for 12-year-olds among tough new knife crime laws The rules will form part of the Offensive Weapons Act, the draft guidance of which is set to be published on Thursday

Priti Patel has announced that children as young as 12 could be placed under curfews as part of tough new powers given to the courts to tackle knife crime.

The Home Secretary said that anyone aged 12 and over who is suspected by the police to be carrying a blade could find themselves subject to a series of restrictions, including preventing them from interacting with certain people, and banned from certain areas.

The rules will form part of the Offensive Weapons Act, the draft guidance of which is set to be published on Thursday.

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“We are cracking down on violent crime, which has a devastating impact on victims, their families, and our communities,” Ms Patel said.

“Our Offensive Weapons Act will help to stop acids and knives making their way onto our streets and being used to carry out horrifying attacks.”

Knife crime

As he took office last month, one of the first announcements Prime Minister Boris Johnson made was a recruitment drive for an extra 20,000 more police officers over the next three years.



Read More UK knife crime rise is linked to council cuts, parliamentary study finds

He is under pressure to reverse the cuts to forces made by the previous three Conservative governments, which amounted to around 20,000 officers.

Knife crime has been rising in many cities, including London and Birmingham, and pressure is mounting to counter rising violent crime.

Chicken box controversy

The Home Office will no doubt be hoping the new restrictions prove more popular than the scheme it recently unveiled to feature “#knifefree” slogans on fried chicken boxes across England and Wales.

Tax payer-funded packaging was delivered to 210 fast food outlets earlier this week, including chains such as Chicken Cottage and Dixy Chicken.

The campaign was branded, “crude”, “racist” and “embarrassing” by critics.

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott criticised the scheme.

She tweeted: “Instead of investing in a public health approach to violent crime, the Home Office have opted for yet another crude, offensive and probably expensive campaign.

“They would do better to invest in our communities not demonise them.”

Ms Patel hit back on social media, accusing Ms Abbott of “playing politics with knife crime”.

“I will do everything in my power to stop it traumatising communities,” she added. “I will not apologise for that.”