Council Leader Threatens to Evict Families if Children Don't Inform on Knife Crime

Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham council, has threatened to evict families if their children do not inform on people who commit knife crime.

He stated that if a child is involved in an incident and refuses to speak out, the council will review their housing agreement.

Rodwell has also said that if families know their relatives are linked to crime, they must speak up or face eviction.

The policy has been criticized by a victim of teenage knife violence and a senior youth worker as being counterproductive and wrong.

If parents decline to cooperate, the council will view them as part of the problem and may offer support in the first instance but if they decline, they will be viewed as part of the problem.

The push comes as the shadow justice secretary, Steve Reed, announced plans to fine parents of children involved in antisocial behaviour and force them to attend parenting classes.