Father scaling summits to highlight impact of knife crime

It was on the evening of 10 May 2019 that the lives of Abdul Raguragui and his family changed forever.

That was when their 18-year-old son and brother, Azzam, was stabbed to death in a park in Dundrum in south Dublin.

A week later, Azzam's funeral took place in Clonskeagh mosque.

It was there where we first met Abdul. Visibly upset, he told me that he that he wanted to thank the local community and gardaí for their support, and said that his family was resting their faith in the Irish justice system.

Eighteen months later, a 17-year-old boy was found not guilty of Azzam's murder, but guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to seven-and-a half-years’ detention.

The trial heard how a fight had erupted between two groups of teenagers following a row about a stolen bike. The court was told how the killer brought a knife to the scene and used "wholly excessive force".

Azzam was stabbed five times.

Four years on, earlier this week, we met with Abdul once again. This time in his home in Ballinteer.

"My wife, my kids and I have had a really tough time. We’ve been through very difficult times. I sometimes can't believe what has happened to us," he said.

The conversation with Abdul took place in the front room, where photos of Azzam sit throughout.

"I remember Azzam every single day. You can see his pictures. We carry his memory with us.

"Azzam was very close to me and his mum. He loved his siblings and his family, he was well known for helping the elderly in our neighbourhood and he was loved by everyone. They used to call him 'smiley face'. We miss him dearly," he said.

"Carrying a knife can lead to consequences that will impact your life forever"

Ever since his son’s killing, Abdul has been on a mission to raise awareness of the impact of knife crime and about the dangers of carrying such weapons.

"To anyone carrying a knife: please understand that it doesn't protect you - it only increases the risk of harm to yourself and others.

"There are better ways to handle fear or conflict, and carrying a knife can lead to consequences that will impact your life forever.

"Choose peace, talk to someone, and seek support. Your life and the lives of others are worth far more than a weapon," he said.

Abdul has taken his campaign to the highest office, meeting President Michael D Higgins, and to Ireland’s highest peaks.

Every weekend, Abdul has scaled a summit. He does it in memory of his son, and to raise awareness of his loss.

"I have enjoyed walking and climbing mountains since I was young, but after losing my son, I found myself facing extremely difficult situations.

"To cope with the pressure I was under, I turned to mountain climbing as a way to find relief," he said.

To date, he has climbed to 130 peaks. This weekend, he is in Kilkenny for his 131st.

"I’m not planning to stop climbing mountains, I feel now it's part of my life," he said.

"I still have at least 100 mountains to go."

Earlier this week, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee signed an order to increase the maximum sentences for four knife-related offences.

Under the changes, the maximum sentence for the possession of a knife in a public place intending to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate a person has increased from five years to seven years.

Maximum sentences for trespassing with a knife or other article which has a blade or sharp point has also increased from five to seven years, as has the maximum sentence for production of any article capable of inflicting serious injury.

Anyone found to be manufacturing, importing, selling, hiring or loaning such offensive weapons could see their sentence increased from seven to ten years.

Ms McEntee said knife crimes are "serious criminal offences, which can have far-reaching and devastating consequences".

Abdul welcomed the changes, but said more needs to be done.

"First of all, I'd like to say thanks very much to the minister for tackling this issue, but in my opinion, it's not enough.

"The Government should send a clear and stronger message to those people carrying knives on the street to stop. Everyone should do their part - the families, the schools, social media, influencers - to raise this issue, otherwise, we face a dark future," he said.

The latest data from the Department of Justice shows just how prevalent the problem is.

Last year, 2,192 knives were seized by gardaí - the second high annual total in a decade.

More than 1,000 more have been confiscated in the first six months of this year.

That's the number seized, how many more are still on the streets?

In Ballinteer, Abdul was getting ready for his Kilkenny trip.

"I'm doing this from my heart … I'm doing this just to raise awareness and to stop knife crime in Ireland.

"We don’t want to see people suffer like what's happened to us," he said.

As he speaks, the photo of a smiling Azzam, beams down on him from the mantelpiece.