Mum of stabbed teen appointed OBE

The mother of a boy stabbed to death in a case of mistaken identity has said she is "grateful" and "overwhelmed" after she was appointed an OBE for her work in trying to prevent knife crime.

Ronan Kanda, 16, was murdered with a ninja sword just yards from his home in Wolverhampton in June 2022.

After his death, his family began the Justice For Ronan Kanda campaign and advocated for changes in the law around the sale of knives.

Pooja Kanda said: "To be here, I had to lose my baby and my son, and it shouldn't have happened to begin with, but Ronan is making a difference... and I'm very much honoured."

Remembering him as kind, loving and caring, Ms Kanda, 48, said she was driven to campaign for changes in the law after witnessing the trial of her son's killers, who had been able to buy knives online without identity checks.

She said one of them had been able to get weapons "as easily as getting bread and milk".

Following a five-week trial, two 17-year-olds, Prabjeet Veadhesa and Sukhman Shergill, were sentenced in July 2023 for Ronan's murder.

The court heard Ronan had suffered a 20cm-deep wound in his back and hip area, and a 17cm-deep wound in his chest.

New legislation named after her son, Ronan's Law, will make it illegal to own, sell, make or import ninja swords in the UK from 1 August.

Ms Kanda said she and fellow campaigners had fought hard for the law to be put in place, adding: "My son would have been here if this law was here today."

She said her next steps were to work with government to bring in a registration or licensing system for legally held blades.

There are also plans to establish a charity.

She said the campaign would not stop and more work was needed "so our children are safe and they can walk home safely to their mothers".

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