Father of murdered James Brindley says knife crime a 'national crisis'

James Brindley, 26, was stabbed in the heart 400 metres from his parents' home in Aldridge, Walsall, in June 2017.

His killer, 17-year-old Ammar Kahrod, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the random attack.

Now his parents, Mark and Beverley Brindley, have launched fundraising charity The James Brindley Foundation, along with the James Brindley Full Circle Offender Management Programme to deliver a 12-week initiative, with one on one counselling for troubled teens.

Mr Brindley said that more needs to be done to tackle knife crime which has become "a national emergency, a national crisis".

He told BBC Radio WM: "More needs to be done and we have a national emergency, a national crisis, and that means that the government and the country needs to respond in that manner.

"With the Full Circle Programme we're looking at a public health approach, an educational approach, and people need to take personal responsibility, particularly parents with young children and if that means that they have to have difficult conversations with their children because they've noticed changes in behaviour or that they're acting differently then that needs to be done.

"A family needs to know where they can get help and advice and we're here for that and so are the police.

"As a foundation we're looking for funding from the government to provide this public health approach.

"People within communities need to keep their eyes and ears open and stand up to the authorities."