'More education is needed to divert youth away from crime'

Nichola Sweeney was killed in a vicious knife attack in 2002. File picture.

Calls to curb Ireland’s knife-crime epidemic have increased since the death of 16-year-old Josh Dunne on Tuesday night.

Sinead O’Leary, who was stabbed over 20 times by a 19-year-old intruder in a vicious knife attack which killed her best friend, Nichola Sweeney in Cork in 2002, has called for tougher sentencing for knife crime, coupled with more education and interventions to divert youth away from crime.