A MOTHER who lost her teenage daughter to stabbing nearly 16 years ago has called for greater awareness of knife crime.
Alison Madgin’s daughter Samantha was stabbed to death by 15-year-old drink and drug-fuelled Jordan Jobson in Wallsend in 2007.
Samantha, 18, suffered ten knife wounds, including a fatal blow to her heart, on her first night out since having her son Callum just ten weeks before.
Alison spoke to the Courant after the tragic double stabbing in Hexham town centre which claimed the life of 15-year-old Holly Newton, of Haltwhistle, and left a 16-year-old boy in hospital.
Popular Holly sustained serious injuries after the incident near Pizza Pizza on Priestpopple on Friday, January 27 just after 5pm and died later in hospital.
A vigil will be held at Hexham bandstand on Friday to remember Holly’s life after a fundraiser in her memory amassed over £8,000.
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, from Gateshead, will appear in court tomorrow (Wednesday) accused of her murder, attempted murder and having a knife.
“Carrying a knife is not going to resolve whatever is going on in their life to make them carry that knife”, Alison said. “It’s only going to make matters worse for the victims and the perpetrators.
“It’s happening every single day in every area; these are innocent, young people dying on the streets and the people committing the crimes are so young as well.
“People are having to die for other people to take notice.”
Alison, who described her own daughter as a great role model for young mothers, added: “My heartfelt condolences go to Holly’s family because I know exactly what they feel like now.
“It made me cry; it hurts so much to know that a family feel like how we feel.”
Charity Samantha’s Legacy, founded by the Madgin family, seeks to educate people on the dangers of carrying a knife through anti-crime workshops and provides support to affected families. It also runs a caravan retreat in Morpeth for victims of knife crime and was involved in the Knife Angel project at the Sage.
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