| Gary Hawley has more reason than most to demand | | | | playing a part in his choosing to stab someone. |
| a crackdown on knife crime. Two-and-a-half years | | | | "It is their decision to carry it, their decision to use it," he |
| ago, the 52-year-old was fighting for his life in intensive | | | | said. Instead, he called for a complete overhaul of the |
| care after a teenage thug stabbed him seven times. | | | | criminal justice system, so that offenders serve the |
| Mr Hawley had acted as a Good Samaritan, asking a | | | | time they are sentenced to and respect is restored in |
| gang of drunks to stop harassing three women in | | | | the police force. |
| Yeadon High Street. But the louts then turned on him, | | | | He said: "My brother came over from the States, he |
| with near fatal consequences. Some attacked with | | | | couldn't believe what he saw. The bad boys are |
| fists, but another, Jason Pears, repeatedly plunged his | | | | terrified of the police there, here they are laughing at |
| blade into Mr Hawley's chest and back. | | | | them. |
| Mr Hawley says he has yet to fully recover from the | | | | "The Government aren't concerned enough with the |
| stabbing, bearing both physical and mental scars. | | | | victim or the victim's family, they are too concerned |
| He said: "If I am out and see a few lads, aged 13 to 17, | | | | about the offender. I can't see anything changing until it |
| it does make me nervous. The older ones, 18 and over, | | | | happens to the son or daughter of a top politician." |
| don't worry me. It is the younger ones. They seem to | | | | Figures obtained by the YEP show knife-related |
| be carrying the knives and they are the ones who are | | | | incidents are one of Leeds's biggest crime problems. |
| using them." | | | | Health professionals told the paper that in the first half |
| Mr Hawley said he thinks the younger teenagers are | | | | of 2008, 76 people were treated for knife-related |
| willing to use their knives as they are too young to | | | | wounds at St James's and Leeds Infirmary's A&E. |
| think about - or understand - the consequences. | | | | The same period for 2007 saw just 34 admissions. |
| "They just think about how hard it makes them feel, | | | | Leeds residents seem to have responded to a |
| having a knife," he said. "They think they are gangsters, | | | | perceived knife crime rise. |
| when all they are is a kid with a knife. They don't think | | | | Last year, as a number of high profile incidents turned |
| that it is likely to be taken off them and used against | | | | the spotlight on stabbings, martial arts experts and |
| them, that they could ruin peoples' lives, and eventually | | | | instructors reported a big rise in numbers at Krav |
| ruin their own when they go to jail." | | | | Maga classes. |
| Mr Hawley dismisses talk of a youth's background | | | | |