‘Of course stop and search saves lives-if my son’s killer had been searched he might still be alive.’

East London bereaved mother shares her views on stop and search after the fatal stabbing of her son.

The question of stop and search has once again reared its head with some debating if it works in our communities. In 2021, nearly 5,000 bladed weapons were removed off the streets of London, that is potentially 5,000 lives saved and countless families that do not have to weep over a murdered child as so many do across the capital.

Sue Hedges and her family are broken.They have had to bury their son Ricky Hayden, after he was stabbed in Marks Gate, east London in 2016. Their loss is irreparable. Their grief is endless.

“I have seen stop and search in action myself many times and if done correctly, it works and is important in our community. It is important that this tool used by our police officer is done the right way and officers do speak with those being searched about their reasons for the search.

“There is no doubt it works, of course it does. It does remove dangerous knives off the streets and we need that right now.

“My son Ricky was stabbed outside of his home, macheted in the leg and I had to make the heartbreaking decision to stop his life support machine. What mother wants to do that? If his killer had been searched, the weapon in his bag could well have been removed and my son would still be here today.”

Sue is a very active anti knife crime campaigner and spends her days donating vital Daniel Baird life saving bleed kits across the east London community.

“As parents, we are so tired of watching children die on our streets to knife crime. How many more families will have to bury their child before the government step in and actually take action against knife crime?”

The Home Secretary has voiced her view that police officers need to take a tougher stance on stop and search, but do these bereaved families agree?

“Of course it works, if knife carriers know that they are going to be searched then it detracts them from carrying and that is ultimately saving a life which is want we all want.

“If you have nothing to hide then as unpleasant as it maybe to be stopped and searched but you understand the reasons behind it. However, I do stress that these searches must be done the right way and that officers do communicate with those being searched about their motives for the stop.”

The stop and search debate will continue. Whilst acknowledging that all cities throughout the UK have problems, London is different from many and as such endless criticism by those not from London or working as a police officer in the capital may well differ.

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