Online stores to need two IDs to stop under-age knife sales

Online retailers volition beryllium forced to inquire anyone buying a weapon for 2 types of recognition nether authorities plans to forestall under-age income successful the aftermath of the Southport weapon attack.

Axel Rudakubana, who has admitted sidesplitting 3 young girls past summer, bought the weapon helium utilized from Amazon erstwhile helium was conscionable 17, contempt existing laws which prohibit the merchantability of astir knives to under-18s.

Proposed checks would spot buyers asked to taxable an individuality document, specified arsenic a passport, and grounds a unrecorded video to beryllium their age.

Amazon has said it takes its "responsibility astir the merchantability of each age-restricted items - including bladed products - highly seriously" and has launched an investigation.

Stronger ID checks are 1 of the proposals from a reappraisal of online weapon income being carried retired for the authorities by Commander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Chiefs' Council's pb for weapon crime.

At present, customers ordering knives connected Amazon, for example, are asked to participate their day of commencement and told: "Proof of property and a signature volition beryllium required connected delivery".

Cdr Clayman had been owed to study astatine the extremity of this month, but the plans are present being brought forward. It was not instantly wide whether the determination volition necessitate caller legislation.

The government, which has pledged to halve weapon transgression implicit the adjacent decade, antecedently announced caller sanctions - including idiosyncratic fines - for executives astatine tech companies which neglect to tackle amerciable weapon income connected their platforms.

The past decennary has seen a important emergence successful weapon crime, with the number of superior offences successful England and Wales successful the twelvemonth ending March 2024 up 54% connected the equivalent fig for 2016.

In a sentiment portion for Wednesday's Sun newspaper, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote that it "remains shockingly casual for our children to get their hands connected deadly knives".

"The lessons of this lawsuit could not beryllium clearer," helium said.

"Time and again, arsenic a child, the Southport murderer carried knives. Time and again, helium showed wide intent to usage them.

"And yet tragically, helium was inactive capable to bid the execution limb disconnected the net without immoderate checks oregon barriers. A two-click killer. This cannot continue.

"The exertion is determination to acceptable up age-verification checks, adjacent for room knives ordered online.

"We indispensable present usage it to support our children from aboriginal onslaught and I volition guarantee that this happens."

A spokesperson for Amazon said: "We usage trusted ID verification services to cheque name, day of commencement and code details whenever an bid is placed for these bladed items.

"We person an property verification connected transportation process that requires drivers to verify the recipient's property done an app connected their devices earlier handing implicit a parcel containing an age-restricted item."

On Monday, connected the archetypal time of his trial, Rudakubana pleaded blameworthy to the execution of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar astatine a Taylor Swift-themed creation people past July.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons it was a "total disgrace" that Rudakubana had been "easily capable to bid a weapon connected Amazon" contempt his property arsenic good arsenic a anterior condemnation for a convulsive offence against different kid astatine school.

He had besides been referred to Prevent, the government's anti-extremism programme, connected 3 abstracted occasions betwixt 2019 and 2021 and admitted to carrying a weapon much than 10 times.