THE WIFE of Ian Kirwan who died after being stabbed by a 14-year-old boy in Redditch has pleaded with parents to speak to their children about the dangers of carrying a knife.
Ian said goodbye to Lyndsey on March 5, 2022, as he went to buy a light switch from B&Q. He never returned home.
When the 53-year-old arrived at the shops, he was confronted by a group of teenagers behaving anti-socially inside the Asda supermarket’s toilets.
Ian challenged their behaviour and was stabbed in the teenager.
Despite the efforts of a member of the public, Ian was sadly pronounced dead outside the store. Lyndsey never saw her husband again.
Yesterday (Monday), Lyndsey spoke publicly for the first time about that day.
She said: “Half of me died that day.
“I shouldn’t know information about how you try to resuscitate a stab wound to the chest or know information about the legal system the way I do.
“Nobody should hear these things about their husband, about their loved ones, ever.
“Carrying a knife gives you a false sense of security. If no one is carrying a knife, then everyone is safe. I would urge parents to speak to their children, look for changes in their behaviour and talk to them about the repercussions of carrying a weapon.
Click below to see the full interview:
Following a ten-week trial in February 2023 the teenager was found guilty of murdering Ian and was detained for 14-years.
A 16-year-old boy was sentenced to a youth rehabilitation order for 36 months (this includes supervision for 36 months) for violent disorder and possession of a knife.
A further two boys, one aged 15 and one 14, were both given a youth rehabilitation order for 24 months (which includes supervision for 24 months) for violent disorder. They also cannot be named for legal reasons.
None of the four boys can be legally identified because of their ages.
Concerns about knife crime can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through Fearless at fearless.org.
