Theresa Cave has spoken to thousands of youngsters about the danger of knives (Image: file photo)
A heartbroken mother pledged to combat the moment she discovered her son fatally wounded by a group of young people. Chris Cave, 17, tragically lost his life after receiving four stab wounds while trying to protect a friend.
Theresa found her teenage son collapsed on a stairwell as paramedics fought to save him. By the time Chris reached A&E, it was too late and Theresa had to say a devastating farewell to her child.
She said: “I promised ‘I will make some good come out of this’. Those were the last words I whispered to him.”
Now, almost 23 years later, Theresa continues her mission to end knife crime. This week, she discussed her ongoing journey following the in a shocking stabbing incident at a bus stop in Croydon, south London.
In an impassioned letter written after Chris’s death, Theresa warned politicians that Britain was on the verge of a knife crime epidemic. Reflecting on Elianne’s murder, Theresa stated: “I told them 20 years ago, ‘You’re not listening’. And look at it now,” reports
Knife crime has surged across England and Wales, increasing by nearly three quarters over the past decade, with the Northeast of England being one of the most impacted regions.
This is where Chris was killed in 2003 – specifically in Redcar, North Yorkshire – but Theresa says she now hears about stabbings occurring nationwide.
The devastated mum is campaigning for tougher penalties, as the current maximum sentence for knife possession stands at just four years. She argued vehemently, “You’ve got for waving flags, for shouting at police. If he did the same with those caught with knives it wouldn’t be long before they stop carrying, because they’d know that there’s a deterrent, there’s going to be a consequence.”
The tragic backdrop of this plea is underscored by the brutal murder of Chris, an expectant father who was repeatedly stabbed with a 12-inch knife while trying to defend a friend’s home from a gang.
Theresa is pictured at her son’s funeral (Image: Tom Buist)
Among his attackers was Sean Matson, who, intoxicated on alcohol and drugs, could not recall the horrific act for which he has now been convicted. As Matson serves his time for murder, the statistics reveal a grim reality—Redcar sees a significant struggle, with 22 percent of adults lacking formal qualifications, eclipsing the national average.
Redcar’s children also face dire prospects, with one in seven growing up in households without any employed family members.
Chris Cave was murdered in Redcar in June 2003 (Image: Tom Buist)