The father of a 22 year-old man stabbed to death in Woolwich says stop-and-searches are “essential” to reducing knife crime.

Cliff Marcus, whose son Leo was attacked in 2019, claims there should be a minimum sentence for carrying a weapon.

Marcus has previously joined Met officers on stop-and-search patrols at West Croydon station as part of a crackdown on knife crime.

Almost 4,000 were recovered across the capital last year and the Met says knife crime in the city has fallen by nearly 15%.