Sister of knife crime victim says 'doesn't cut it' as deadly zombie-style knives banned from today

It is now illegal to own a zombie-style knife or machete after a move by the Government to add the weapons to a list of dangerous prohibited items

From tomorrow onwards, deadly zombie-style knives and machetes are banned as they join the list of dangerous prohibited weapons. Designed to cause maximum harm with two blades either side, the knives sparked terror and tragedy across the region as they were used to maim and kill.

Ahead of the new law, starting on Tuesday, September 24, the public were urged to dispose of their blades safely and legally through a month-long amnesty scheme. It's hoped the latest restrictions will limit the availability of the lethal weapons.

But the families of knife crime victims fear the ban will make no difference as the knives will still be sold online to criminals. Holly Baird, sister of much-loved Dan Baird, who was stabbed to death near a Digbeth pub, said banning certain knives "just doesn't cut it."

READ MORE: The real-life horror scenes in Birmingham as deadly 'zombie' knives used to kill

She had felt "some hope" as Sir Kier Starmer was elected, however those hopes have since been dashed as she said: "Lives continue to be lost daily and all I hear is talk." Ahead of the new regulation on zombie-style knives, she told BirminghamLive: "As for the ban, why not? Do I think it's going to make a huge difference? No.

"They will still be sourced online which is where the majority of people buy their items now. You aren't going to stop stabbings and murders because you've enforced a ban on a certain type of knife.

"As for what more needs to be done, a lot. Banning one particular weapon and placing a few bins here and there just doesn't cut it. There needs to be more done to target the deeper cause of violent crime."

Instead, early intervention for children "must be prioritised", she suggested. "Compassion, empathy and kindness to name a few are now a thing of the past. Anger, rage and mental health problems are now all the norm," Holly continued.

"This mainly stems down to social media, which most children are just free to use as and when. You cannot teach basic life skills and qualities on a device. I felt some hope since the Prime Minister won the election.

"Now I feel depleted. Lives continue to be lost daily and I all I hear is talk. We need a strategic action plan to tackle these problems. Not more bins."

This week, West Midlands Police shared news of the deadly weapons seized across a two month period - including the now-banned zombie-style knives. The 1,118-weapon arsenal -ranging from a samurai sword to a medieval axe - was displayed by the force as they emptied one of the region's 31 weapon surrender bins.

Zombie-style knives, inspired by those seen in Zombie movies, have caused devastation across the region and beyond over recent years. In April 2022, Kelvin Ward was 'savaged' and 'left to die like roadkill' after he was caught up in a plot to kill his teenage son in Castle Bromwich.

The much-loved father suffered a single stab wound to the chest as he was chased by thugs wielding a machete and zombie knife. A vicious zombie-style machete knife was also used to execute a schoolboy in a 'ferocious' murder in September 2023.

'Instigator' Mpho Obi and his 'willing lieutenant' Omari Lauder stabbed 16-year-old Terrell Marshall-Williams from behind with a machete they hid under a coat. One of the eight 'deep' wounds severed the youth's spinal cord and would have 'paralysed' his lower limbs.

In a third tragic case, a baby-faced killer from Solihull travelled to London with a zombie machete bought online using a false ID. Emadh Miah was just 17 when he "carefully planned" to ambush and stab London teen Ghulam Sadiq to death.

Policing Minister Diana Johnson has promised the ban on zombie-style blades is only the "first step" in working towards ending the knife crime epidemic. She said: "Too many people have access to weapons that can lead to devastating, life-changing consequences. There is no legitimate need for a weapon of this kind to be in our homes or on our streets.

"That is why we will continue to make sure the tightest restrictions are in place to limit the availability of these lethal weapons. Implementing a ban on zombie-style knives is just the first step in our ambitious, dedicated plan to halve knife crime within a decade, and will closely be followed by making ninja swords illegal."

Have you been affected by knife crime in the city or region? We would like to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing stephanie.balloo@reachplc.com