What we want is life to mean life
May 19 2008 by Paul Lorraine, The Journal
A FATHER has spoken of his determination to fight for longer jail terms for the perpetrators of knife crime, a year on from his son’s killing.
John Johnson launched the “Enough is Enough” campaign after his 22-year-old son Kevin – a new dad – was stabbed to death outside his Sunderland home.
Mr Johnson, 56, and his wife Kath, 57, were angered when their son’s three teenage killers were sentenced to 13, 16 and 17 years respectively.
Believing a life sentence should last a lifetime, the couple started a petition and have now collected 32,000 signatures which they plan to take to Downing Street next month.
Mr Johnson, of Ridley Avenue in Ryhope, Sunderland, said: “The campaign is going brilliantly. As far as going to London is concerned, I’m putting a figure of 200 people on it but there could be a lot more.
“What we want is life to mean life. I feel as if it would only take a few dozen murderers to get convicted before teenagers would put their knives away.
“Murders are happening at an alarming rate. In 15 years, the prisons will be full of teenage murderers. Are they going to let them out early because they can’t accommodate them all?
“Things have to be done now. There are hundreds of campaigns like ours going on all over the place and it’s time they listened. We put them in power so they should listen to us.”
A year ago to the day, Kevin was stabbed in the heart after he asked a trio of teenagers to be quiet outside his home on Partick Road, Pennywell.
He had lived there with his fiancee, Adele, their son Chaise, who was then seven months old, and Adele’s seven-year-old child from a previous relationship.
Speaking on the eve of the anniversary, Mr Johnson said: “It’s going to be another sad day for us, just like birthdays and Christmas.
“We never ever forget – you just survive day by day.
“But this is a special day. It has affected us all – Chaise has been brought up without the guidance and love of his dad. But this campaign keeps me going.”
Today the family plan to put a plaque on a tree they planted in memory of Kevin in John and Kath’s garden before laying flowers at the scene of his death.
They also plan to visit the crematorium and are having a meal with Kevin’s friends and work colleagues at The Grindon Mill in Sunderland.
Adele, 27, said: “It will be very, very hard and it’s the kids who are getting me through.
“I have got blown up pictures of Kevin in our sitting room because it’s important to me that Chaise recognises his dad.”
There are hundreds of campaigns like ours going on all over the place and it’s time they listened
