The mother of a promising teenage footballer, who was tragically stabbed to death five years ago, has backed the Met’s new campaign to tackle knife crime - telling teenagers to imagine how they would feel if their relative was lying in a coffin.
Yvonne Lawson’s son Godwin was just 17 when he was tragically taken from her in a fatal stabbing in Stoke Newington, and she has been raising awareness about the dangers of knife crime ever since through a charity set up in his memory.
The Oxford United Football and Education Academy student who lived in Enfield tried to help his childhood friends when they were set upon but he was stabbed himself, and died at the scene.
Moise Avorgah, of Tottenham, was found guilty of murder and was jailed for life with a minimum 19-year term.
The promising footballer’s friends were also stabbed in the attack, but Avorgah was cleared of their attempted murders.
This week the Met stepped up its efforts to tackle knife crime, to coincide with the introduction of new sentencing guidelines for dealing with anyone carrying knives.
Tough laws came into force last Friday, after a spate of attacks in which seven teenagers have died so far this year in London.
The ‘two strike’ system will see repeat offenders being given mandatory six month prison sentences for carrying a knife.
Godwin’s mother Yvonne, said: “I still miss Godwin every day. The pain is enormous. It is particularly raw every Christmas and birthday that passes, knowing my wonderful talented son is not here to share these moments with us and I will never be able to see him grow up. I would give anything to have him back with us.
“What I would say to anyone who carries a knife, or is thinking about carrying a knife is what if it was your brother, your sister, your cousin or uncle that was laying there in a coffin?
“How would you feel then? Think about the consequences and don’t pick up that knife.”
Met operations this week include weapon sweeps to find knives hidden in public areas, stop and search, as well as targeting of known offenders.
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