Lock knives away to stop children stealing them from shops, says mum of Leith murder victim

The mum of a man stabbed to death on the streets of Leith has called for knives to be taken off shop floors and treated like video games and alcohol.

John McNab, 22, died following an unprovoked attack by a teenager in Edinburgh in September last year. The youngster, who cannot be named because of his age, was sentenced to life in prison last month with a minimum of 17 years.

Determined to do something following her son’s death, Lisa Petrie launched her Not In Vain campaign.

Since then, the mum-of-two has delivered more than 100 bleed kits to community centres, shops and pubs across Midlothian, containing equipment designed to treat traumatic blood loss.

Lisa described John as 'the heart of the family' — Lisa described John as ‘the heart of the family’ STV News

More than 100 bleed kits have been distributed so far STV News

“These bleed kits are for traumatic bleeds – it can be a car accident, a fall, any impairment and bleed.

“We have them in community centres, schools, pubs, clubs, projects, organisations, places we know kids are hanging about. It’s kids using knives right now.”

Mark Wells, chief executive of Penicuik community hub FoodFactFriends, where the official launch took place, believes the kits could be a lifeline.

“We are trying to save people’s lives. When we first met Lisa, we had tears in our eyes. I would be lost if it was my son.”

Lisa’s Not In Vain campaign was a way for her to turn the tragedy into action.

She says she wants to create lasting change in John’s memory.

“John was the life and soul, the heart of our family,” she said.

“He loved life and he worked hard. He was travelling, going to festivals and parties. He had a vibrancy about him. He was just fun all the time, constantly funny and jumping about.

“He didn’t like arguments, he’d crack a joke rather than have an argument with you.

“He was my best pal and, as much as he didn’t admit it in front of his pals, I was his best pal.

“They always say a mum doesn’t realise true love until she has her firstborn. John was my first true love.”

But the bleed kits are only one part of Lisa’s work. She also wants to see greater restrictions on how knives are displayed and sold in supermarkets and other retailers.

“Since John died, at least once a week, we’re hearing stories of people being stabbed, people being attacked,” she said.

“Look at the law. I’m not saying we need to stop selling them, I just want them removed from the shop floor so they’re not accessible.

“Computer games are in empty boxes, you don’t get the game until you’ve purchased it. Alcohol is in locked cabinets. Why can’t it be the same for knives?”

Lisa with FM John Swinney and MSP Ben MacPherson at Scottish Parliament Https://www.facebook.com/muirhousemillenniumcentre/posts/pfbid024Q3UrcX62FJ7igqdorAxUMnPJmH5yiw2EYF4SMonoZcyzErnrXZFX5ah4HizEXUql

Pauline Bowie from Lower Income Families Together (LIFT), a community project in the city’s Muirhouse area, has been assisting with Lisa’s campaign.

She backs the call for preventative retail measures and advocates for tougher legal consequences.

“Kids of all ages are stealing knives from shop floors because their mates have them, the guy over the road who wants to fight is going to have one. That’s where it starts.

“I’m not saying they are stealing them because they’re going to use them. But if they’re not there and they can’t get them, that’s a step forward.

“We can’t do this softly, softly. If you use a knife, you need to be punished, no matter if you’re 16 or 60.”

The Scottish Retail Consortium said retailers take knife sales “seriously” and many already use enhanced security measures, but added there is “little evidence” of a correlation between knife thefts from stores and knife crime.

The current image has no alternative text. The file name is: f98c6247b87bf6670c74361423992c1d-1782827360.jpeg — Lisa meets the King at Parliament

Midlothian Council leader Kelly Parry said Lisa’s campaign is a “testament to her strength”.

She has pledged to help roll out the kits across Midlothian schools and community organisations.

“These kits can actually save lives and it’s really important.

“The first five minutes after a bleed incident can have a severely negative impact on what the outcome will be. It’s really important that when those things happen, we have the right tools to hand. It’s very reassuring.”