Stores across Barking and Dagenham have been praised for their responsible approach to selling knives, following a series of test purchases carried out by an underage teenager.



On Tuesday 31 May, the council’s Trading Standards team visited nine shops in the borough and tasked a 13-year-old volunteer to try and buy a knife.



Eight of the stores refused to sell, with only one store failing to identify the underage shopper.



In the UK, it’s illegal to sell a knife or similar bladed article to anyone under the age of 18.



Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: “We’re pleased to see the majority of stores in our borough are doing the right thing and helping keep knives off our streets.



“Retailers have a big part to play in tackling knife crime and our residents deserve to feel confident that shops are upholding the law and doing their job properly. Those that don’t, will face the consequences.”



Barking and Dagenham Council will now pursue a prosecution against the shop that failed to spot the illegal purchase and sold the knife to an underage shopper, which is contrary to section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.



The initiative is just one of the number of actions the council is taking to make Barking and Dagenham safer. For more information visit lbbd.gov.uk/saferbd.