Ronan Kanda murder: Police and MPs back family's call for machete sales ban

Ronan Kanda, 16, was stabbed in the heart in Mount Road, Lanesfield, last year, with his teenage killer using a machete that was bought on the internet.

Ronan's parents, Chander and Pooja, have urged politicians to take urgent action to "ensure that not another innocent life gets taken from knife crime".

Earlier this year the Express & Star launched a campaign calling for a ban on the sale of machetes following a series of slayings in the West Midlands.

Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden, who has been supporting the family, and the West Midlands Police Federation have today called for urgent action to outlaw the sale of deadly weapons.

Mr McFadden said: "It is long overdue that there be a proper ban on the sale of some of these horrific weapons that can be easily bought over the internet.

"Far too many young people are losing their lives to these awful crimes. Anything that can be done to restrict the sale of weapons and reduce these crimes has to be supported."

Federation chair Sgt Richard Cooke, who is campaigning for a ban on the sale of machetes as part of an "all out assault" on knife crime, said there was "no excuse" for inaction.

He said: "The sales and marketing of such weapons online or otherwise must be stopped urgently. The scourge of knife crime is multi-faceted but there's no excuse for not cutting these frankly evil supply lines off.

"The first duty of any government is the protection of its people. Continuing to allow the sale and supply of obviously malicious weapons is totally untenable in a civilised society in our view."

Two teenagers were this week found guilty of murdering Ronan, who was stabbed to death just yards from his family home in a case of mistaken identity.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Ade George said a search unearthed packaging for knives that were collected on the day of the attack.

He said: "That was a set of three knives, a Ninja set of knives that had got a blade of 22 inches and the other set had got a blade of 18 inches.

"Along with that there was a machete which had an 18-inch blade. These are all weapons that were purchased solely for that evening to go out and commit that offence."

Following the verdict, Ronan's heartbroken sister, Nikita, said: "We need to do more to stop knife crime. You know how easy it is to acquire a knife. You can just go online and you can just buy a machete.

"I want to call out the MPs. I want to call out the Prime Minister. I want to call out society and say that we need to do more to ensure that not another innocent life gets taken from knife crime.

"We as a family are broken. I do not want to see another mother like this, father like this, another sister like this."

In April ministers unveiled plans for new laws on the sale and possession of machetes.

Data published by the House of Commons Library shows West Midlands Police recorded 152 offences involving a knife per 100,000 population in 2021-22 – the highest rate in England and Wales.

Separate figures from the force show machetes were used in 1,894 crimes in the region in 2022, with possession, assault and robbery the most common offences.