'There is no punishment' - Mother of stabbed teenager petitions for mandatory jail sentences

  • Raveena Ghattaura spoke to Harley Barfield's mother about why she wants stricter knife laws

The grieving mother of a murdered teenager is petitioning for mandatory prison sentences for anyone caught carrying a knife.

Harley Barfield, 16, was stabbed on 9 January in a car park in Haverhill in Suffolk in a dispute over a girl and died from his injuries two days later.

His attacker, who cannot be named due to his age, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years.

During the trial, the court heard that Harley's killer sought revenge after Harley began dating his former girlfriend.

Harley Barfield died from his injuries two days after being stabbed. Credit: Bernice Barfield

In the attack at Strasbourg Square, Harley was stabbed at least 12 times, including one blow that pierced his heart.

Harley's mum, Bernice, is calling for compulsory 12-month prison sentences for first time offenders caught in possession of a knife.

Speaking to ITV News Anglia, Ms Barfield said a law change could act as a "deterrent".

"At the moment, there is no punishment or deterrent until you've harmed someone, until you have pulled that knife out. If you are caught with a knife you should be put in prison and educated.

"How many lives can that change? How many will that stop being injured or killed or another child throwing his life away?" she said.

Harley was "bubbly, fun, didn't take life too seriously", said his mum Bernice Credit: Bernice Barfield

In England, there is no minimum sentence for first-time offenders caught with a knife.

Repeat offenders aged 18 or over face a minimum six months' custodial sentence and for those aged 16 or 17 the minimum sentence is at least four months.

Harley was one of three people fatally stabbed in Suffolk last year.

There were 1,076 knife offences recorded in the county - a 25% reduction compared to the previous 12 months.

Police say solving the problem of youth knife crime is not as simple as just making more arrests.

"Deterrent is always part of the solution but it's not the majority part," Inspector Ben Hollands, from Suffolk Police, said.

"The majority part is us getting the engagement and the preventative stuff at the start and that's about us getting into schools, breaking down those barriers, having those really good communications with young people to understand what their concerns are, what they worried about, and educating them about could happen if we carry a knife." 

Ms Barfield started a petition to parliament for tougher sentences at the end of January, which currently has more than 4,500 signatures.

"Harley was killed with an everyday steak knife. Had there been a mandatory sentence in place, Harley would still be alive", Ms Barfield said.

"We've already missed so much. Harley leaving school, his prom, learning to drive. I'm not going to get any of that. 

"I have to plan a life without Harley in it. If I'm doing something in Harley's honour and if I can save one person, then it's not in vain."

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