THE father of knife-murder victim James Dean has launched a campaign to prevent others from suffering the same fate as his son. Chris Dean is appealing to anyone who carries a knife or weapon to hand it in at one of four amnesty bins located around the island before another family’s life is ruined by a similar tragedy.

‘If they realised what my family and the friends of James have been through in the last 11 months and continue to go through – and probably will for the rest of our lives – then they would hand in their knives now,’ he said.

‘Please don’t carry one – it’s not only the life of someone else you can ruin, but your own.’

Mr Dean, who was supported by his wife and daughters at yesterday’s campaign launch at St Martin’s Co-op, said he was sure that his son would have supported the initiative.

‘James was no angel. He would get in scuffles but I think he would be pleased this amnesty was going on,’ he said.

‘It would be my dream that people will hand in any knives or any sort of weapon that can cause damage to another person.

‘This is something that is really for the island and I want the people of the island to feel safe to go out at night without worrying about something happening to them.

‘People go into Town, have a few drinks and sometimes scuffles break out and if someone is carrying a knife, there is a chance they will use it.’

Mr Dean said he does not want Guernsey to develop a knife culture like that spreading in the UK.

‘Every week you hear of somebody being stabbed and I don’t want it to come to Guernsey.

‘I would like to think there aren’t that many people who carry knives because there hasn’t been that much of a problem with them in the island, but what we don’t want is for it to escalate out of control.’

Chief of Police George Le Page praised the Dean family for coming forward and supporting the amnesty.

‘Obviously the aim is to get as many knives in the bin as possible, but if we get just one handed in it could save one person’s life,’ he said.

‘What we want is parents talking to their children, friends talking to their friends and to consider the amnesty and for those who carry a knife around to hand in their weapon.’

* The bins are located at the police station, Checkers at Cobo and the Co-ops in St Martin’s and the Bridge.