UK: Frightened pupil wears stab-proof vest to school
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UK: Frightened pupil wears stab-proof vest to school
Frightened pupil wears stab-proof vest to school
By Catriona Davies
(Filed: 10/03/2006)
A boy of 16 wore a stab-proof vest because he feared for his safety after an argument over a girl, it emerged yesterday.
Children as young as 10 have also asked for the body armour, some because they are scared for their lives and others as a badge of honour.
The owner of a shop selling the vests said he has three inquiries a week from youngsters, some of whom have returned with their parents to buy them.
The 16-year-old's school in Leyton, east London, told him to remove the vest while on the premises, but he continued to wear it to travel to and from the school.
The boy, who lives in Hackney but did not want to be named, said: "I had a conflict over a girl and then threats were made against me. Two guys that I know have been stabbed, one of them ended up in intensive care.
"I don't want that to happen to me. There are a lot of conflicts in Hackney. Some of it is territorial stuff. I'm not in any of the gangs but there's trouble around the place and I want to feel safe."
Asghar Jilow, the owner of the Eastman Army Camp in Walthamstow, where the 16-year-old and his mother bought the vest, said: "A few years ago the only people who would buy these vests were bouncers and security guards. Now there's big demand among teenagers. I find it very disturbing."
Mr Jilow, whose stab-proof vests cost between £60 and £250, said it was not illegal to sell protective armour to under-18s but his policy was that they had to be accompanied by a parent.
"Some kids as young as 10 have been in here," he said. "Some of them can be very persistent, they try to make trouble if I don't agree to a sale. I was shocked the first time that a kid came back with his parent, but nothing surprised me after that.
"Some kids want them because they have real problems at school or on the streets and are scared for their safety. Sometimes it's just people wanting to look important in their group or wanting a fashion accessory."
The 16-year-old attends Lammas secondary school in Leyton.
Shona Ramsay, the head teacher, said: "The threats related to incidents that happened outside this school. Senior staff were advised by the police and one of our students was given permission to wear the body armour underneath his uniform on journeys to and from school."
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The local Safer Schools officer was made aware of a pupil wearing what was believed to be a stab-proof vest. The matter was referred to the school and resolved locally."
Figures show that a third of the victims of knife crime are aged between 10 and 17, and a survey for the Youth Justice Board found that 29 per cent of secondary school children admitted having carried a knife at some time.
There are around 12,000 knife-related crimes a year in London alone.
In 2004 Alan Pennell, 16, was convicted of murdering Luke Walmsley, 14, by stabbing him in a corridor at Birkbeck secondary school in North Somercotes, Lincs.
12 November 2005: Girl is stabbed in eye with scissors by school bullies
9 October 2005: Council fined over expelled knife boy
1 December 2004: Schoolboy dies after argument in games lesson
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... xhome.html
By Catriona Davies
(Filed: 10/03/2006)
A boy of 16 wore a stab-proof vest because he feared for his safety after an argument over a girl, it emerged yesterday.
Children as young as 10 have also asked for the body armour, some because they are scared for their lives and others as a badge of honour.
The owner of a shop selling the vests said he has three inquiries a week from youngsters, some of whom have returned with their parents to buy them.
The 16-year-old's school in Leyton, east London, told him to remove the vest while on the premises, but he continued to wear it to travel to and from the school.
The boy, who lives in Hackney but did not want to be named, said: "I had a conflict over a girl and then threats were made against me. Two guys that I know have been stabbed, one of them ended up in intensive care.
"I don't want that to happen to me. There are a lot of conflicts in Hackney. Some of it is territorial stuff. I'm not in any of the gangs but there's trouble around the place and I want to feel safe."
Asghar Jilow, the owner of the Eastman Army Camp in Walthamstow, where the 16-year-old and his mother bought the vest, said: "A few years ago the only people who would buy these vests were bouncers and security guards. Now there's big demand among teenagers. I find it very disturbing."
Mr Jilow, whose stab-proof vests cost between £60 and £250, said it was not illegal to sell protective armour to under-18s but his policy was that they had to be accompanied by a parent.
"Some kids as young as 10 have been in here," he said. "Some of them can be very persistent, they try to make trouble if I don't agree to a sale. I was shocked the first time that a kid came back with his parent, but nothing surprised me after that.
"Some kids want them because they have real problems at school or on the streets and are scared for their safety. Sometimes it's just people wanting to look important in their group or wanting a fashion accessory."
The 16-year-old attends Lammas secondary school in Leyton.
Shona Ramsay, the head teacher, said: "The threats related to incidents that happened outside this school. Senior staff were advised by the police and one of our students was given permission to wear the body armour underneath his uniform on journeys to and from school."
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The local Safer Schools officer was made aware of a pupil wearing what was believed to be a stab-proof vest. The matter was referred to the school and resolved locally."
Figures show that a third of the victims of knife crime are aged between 10 and 17, and a survey for the Youth Justice Board found that 29 per cent of secondary school children admitted having carried a knife at some time.
There are around 12,000 knife-related crimes a year in London alone.
In 2004 Alan Pennell, 16, was convicted of murdering Luke Walmsley, 14, by stabbing him in a corridor at Birkbeck secondary school in North Somercotes, Lincs.
12 November 2005: Girl is stabbed in eye with scissors by school bullies
9 October 2005: Council fined over expelled knife boy
1 December 2004: Schoolboy dies after argument in games lesson
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... xhome.html
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- Christina Marie
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- Christina Marie
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Call me "jaded", but I don't have much faith that "bad" people in general are going to start acting right anytime soon. It's just going to keep getting harder and harder to find a decent place to raise children. But, its nice to dream.Old Shatterhand wrote:It is tragic. If people would only act right.Christina Marie wrote:I just think its sad that children even have to worry about their mortality like this.
Be good to hear a response to NW10's question...in full agreement wid the mans, pity if a good thread gets swamped out by the news!
Knife crime is a big problem here in London - NW10's yard in the London Borough of Brent and my yard in the borough of Hackney suffer badly in this respect. More than 27% of young ones carry knives in Hackney - in fact the majority of young men carry and they aren't fashion extras, they are for defence - many of these kids arent gang members at all, they carry because of fear and of course that just ramps up the general atmosphere of fear on road.
Knife crime is a big problem here in London - NW10's yard in the London Borough of Brent and my yard in the borough of Hackney suffer badly in this respect. More than 27% of young ones carry knives in Hackney - in fact the majority of young men carry and they aren't fashion extras, they are for defence - many of these kids arent gang members at all, they carry because of fear and of course that just ramps up the general atmosphere of fear on road.
- Christina Marie
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- Christina Marie
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Hmmmmm, maybe someone that actually goes to school in L.A./is still in H.S./J.H.S will be able to answer you're questions better.NW10 wrote:Christina Marie wrote:As far as I know, schools in L.A. have metal detectors now.
that doesnt always help, new designs and materials can fool the metal detectors. for example slip ups in our aiport security
Knife attacks are bad, but it really isn't aything compared to the violence going on in Chicago and Cali schools. And there is also a bunch of new non-metal self defense weapons that cost a little over a dollar and are nearly as lethal as normal metalic weapons. A compny called "Cold-Steel" manufactures a bunch of blades that are made from high-impact composite plastic. They can't really hold and edge to well, but the points are just as lethal as a metal life when used in a stabbing motion. If they're able to make near lethal crossbows in prison out of underwear elastic, paper, and plasitc spoons, then I'm sure the students will be able keep finding a lethal, non-metal alternitives when it comes to weapons.
thats what i was getting at before, even the metal detectors dont catch these out. knives is common in london schools but guns is less common, i assume u had gunz in mind when you say bout how bad la/northside wrote: new non-metal self defense weapons that cost a little over a dollar and are nearly as lethal as normal metalic weapons.
chi schools are :?: