Qld father Brett Beasley urges UK to adopt Jack’s Law after train attack

After losing his teenage son, Queenslander Brett Beasley has taken Jack’s Law global as others look at copying one of Australia’s new laws on knife crime to save lives. SEE THE VIDEO.

Queensland father Brett Beasley is confident the UK will copy Australia and introduce Jack’s Law to help tackle soaring knife crime after he met with key British politicians and Scotland Yard police.

Mr Beasley’s 17-year-old Jack was stabbed to death on a night out with his friends in Surfers Paradise in 2019 and since then he has fought hard to combat knife crime to help save lives.

Together with Queensland police officers Rhys Wildman and Brad Rix, the trio are in the UK this week to highlight the success of Jack’s Law with the aim to replicate the success of the Australian legislation in Britain.

(L-R) Brad Rix, Brett Beasley and Rhys Wildman. Picture: Sophie Elsworth

“After the horrific stabbing attacks on the train over here (last weekend) we think that (with) Jack’s Law these little metal detecting wands will save lives here,” Mr Beasley said.

“The Queensland Police Service have scanned over 200,000 people and taken some 2000 weapons off the streets just in Queensland alone.

“The law in Queensland is a groundbreaking law in Australia and we think the law will work here in the UK as well”.

Jack Beasley was stabbed to death outside the Surfers Paradise IGA. Picture Facebook

A trial which started in 2021 is now legislation that permits police to use handheld metal detectors across Australia to scan people for weapons in random locations without requiring a warrant.

Among the meetings the trio have had in the UK has included with House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, key officers from Scotland Yard police and anti-knife crime organisation Ben Kinsella Trust’s chief executive officer Patrick Green.

On November 1, a 32-year-old British man Anthony Williams was remanded in custody after he was charged with 10 counts of attempted murder over a mass stabbing on-board a London-bound train that left 11 people injured.

Jack and Brett Beasley.

JaBrett and Belinda Beasley during their son Jack’s funeral. Picture: AAP

Mr Beasley said the timing of their visit to the UK just days after the horrific attack highlighted the importance of the UK to follow Australia and roll out Jack’s Law.

“After losing my son Jack … we vowed to keep Jack’s name alive so we’ve created the powers of Jack’s Law and the Jack Beasley Foundation … we’re very, very proud of it and it’s all about community safety,” he said.

“Everyone wants their family and kids to come home safely at the end of the day and it’s no different here in the UK”.

Jack’s Law was introduced in honour of the young man to help tackle soaring knife crime. Picture: AAP

Brisbane Region Acting Assistant Commissioner Wildman said sharing the Qld police force’s success with the UK is critical in the hope of making Jack’s Law international.

“We’re hoping to share our knowledge to begin with and then hopefully this is the first step to getting something similar … in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“The opportunity came up to catch up here and meet with Sir Lindsay Hoyle and others so we certainly took the opportunity by both hands”.

Jack’s Law has been rolled out in Qld, NSW, WA, NT and Tasmania and the two senior Qld police officers are optimistic that legislation can be introduced in the remaining two states – Victoria and SA.

Originally published as Qld father Brett Beasley urges UK to adopt Jack’s Law after train attack