Killing spurs calls to tackle knife culture

YOUNG people need to find other ways of resolving rows rather than using knives, a youth worker and local politician said yesterday.

The call followed the murder of a 19-year-old male in a stabbing incident in Ballyfermot, south-west Dublin, on Tuesday night.

Gavin Weldon, from Raheen Park, Ballyfermot, received fatal knife injuries during a row among a group of youths outside an off-licence.

“I know the child, the mam and his dad. I’m just devastated about the whole loss of life,” said independent local councillor and community activist Vincent Jackson.

“Life has become so valueless.

“Another life is lost needlessly. The only hope is young people will learn, in some shape or form, there are other ways of sorting out issues than resorting to knives.”

The stabbing took place on the corner of Le Fanu Road and Ballyfermot Road at around 10pm on Tuesday.

Weldon was taken to St James’s Hospital, but died about an hour later.

Gardaí cordoned off the area and arrested two local youths, aged in their early 20s. They were detained at Ballyfermot Garda Station under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act.

A garda spokeswoman said the two were released without charge just before 3pm and that a file was being prepared for the DPP.

Anyone with information is asked to contact them at 01-6667200.

Labour TD Mary Upton said the death was the third stabbing in her Dublin South-Central constituency in the last two weeks.

“This death is a further indication of the serious problem of violent crime in parts of the capital and emphasises the need for urgent garda action to curb violent assaults.”

Ms Upton said the public had heard plenty of rhetoric from Justice Minister Michael McDowell but that little was being done to provide protection from violent crime.

But Mr Jackson said it “wasn’t as simple” as having more gardaí.

“It is an issue in society and youth culture. People are carrying weapons around with them that they never did in the past.”

Mr Jackson said that through his work in the Ballyfermot and Clondalkin youth services, he had seen the way young people sort out disputes.

“The way young people sort out vendettas nowadays is absolutely horrendous. It’s not an individual thing, people’s homes are being intimidated. We are developing a very violent culture. It’s a thing we have to address through education.”

He said the place where Weldon was killed was just 100 yards from the site of a new leisure and youth centre costing €23 million, due to open next year.

The leisure centre will open until 12pm and the youth centre until 1am or 2am and will provide alternative entertainment for young people.

“If the only recreation young people have is alcohol it is going to be a very sad and sick society we’re going to inherit, and that’s not unique to Ballyfermot,” Mr Jackson added.