The Government has announced it will review knife sentencing guidelines as police continue to question five people in relation to the murder of 16-year-old Shakilus Townsend.Two men aged 22 and 18, two teenage boys aged 16 and 17, and a 16-year-old girl are being held at south London police stations in connection with the teenager's death.
Sentencing guidelines, due to come into force next month, state that knife possession can be punished with a fine in the least serious cases, but Justice Secretary Jack Straw said this would be re-examined.
"It's not a U-turn," he said. "We will be talking to other ministers about it and we will make an announcement."
Meanwhile David Cameron has called on the Government to toughen up on knife crime.
The Conservative Party leader now says anyone found carrying a knife should be jailed.
Last month the Prime Minister said everyone, from the age of 16 upwards, should be prosecuted for carrying a knife, but there was no mention of an automatic prison sentence.
That is not tough enough for Mr Cameron.
"I don't believe that the Government's 'presumption to prosecute' is enough.
"It doesn't send a strong enough signal. We need a 'presumption to prison'."
And, in an interview with The Sun, he said: "We have to send the strongest possible message that carrying a knife is completely unacceptable in Britain, end of subject."
He went on: "It is not a minor offence. There is no excuse for carrying a knife when you walk out of your door.
"We have a real problem of epidemic proportions. Eighteen kids in London have been stabbed to death this year. If we don't do something now it will go on and on."Getting rid of stop and search forms for police will help them work against knife crime more effectively, Mr Cameron said.
"Police can't stop guns and knives on our streets if they are hidebound by rules. They need to get out there and get stuck in."
Meanwhile a 14-year-old who was stabbed nearly three weeks ago in London has died from his injuries.
David Idowu, of Southwark, died at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
The teenager was stabbed in Great Dover Street, SE1, on June 17 after a row
with a gang of youths in a nearby street.
And an 11-year-old boy has been charged with attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon after allegedly pulling a knife on a nine-year-old girl.
The charges relate to an alleged incident on April 13 in which the victim reportedly refused to hand over her games
Sentencing guidelines, due to come into force next month, state that knife possession can be punished with a fine in the least serious cases, but Justice Secretary Jack Straw said this would be re-examined.
"It's not a U-turn," he said. "We will be talking to other ministers about it and we will make an announcement."
Meanwhile David Cameron has called on the Government to toughen up on knife crime.
The Conservative Party leader now says anyone found carrying a knife should be jailed.
Last month the Prime Minister said everyone, from the age of 16 upwards, should be prosecuted for carrying a knife, but there was no mention of an automatic prison sentence.
That is not tough enough for Mr Cameron.
"I don't believe that the Government's 'presumption to prosecute' is enough.
"It doesn't send a strong enough signal. We need a 'presumption to prison'."
And, in an interview with The Sun, he said: "We have to send the strongest possible message that carrying a knife is completely unacceptable in Britain, end of subject."
He went on: "It is not a minor offence. There is no excuse for carrying a knife when you walk out of your door.
"We have a real problem of epidemic proportions. Eighteen kids in London have been stabbed to death this year. If we don't do something now it will go on and on."Getting rid of stop and search forms for police will help them work against knife crime more effectively, Mr Cameron said.
"Police can't stop guns and knives on our streets if they are hidebound by rules. They need to get out there and get stuck in."
Meanwhile a 14-year-old who was stabbed nearly three weeks ago in London has died from his injuries.
David Idowu, of Southwark, died at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
The teenager was stabbed in Great Dover Street, SE1, on June 17 after a row
with a gang of youths in a nearby street.
And an 11-year-old boy has been charged with attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon after allegedly pulling a knife on a nine-year-old girl.
The charges relate to an alleged incident on April 13 in which the victim reportedly refused to hand over her games
