Victim's mum welcomes knife move

Thomas Devlin was stabbed to death

The mother of teenage murder victim Thomas Devlin has welcomed the security minister's decision to double sentences for anyone caught carrying a knife.

Paul Goggins says the increase from two to four years will offer the public greater protection.

Fifteen-year-old Thomas was stabbed to death near his north Belfast home in August 2005.

His mother Penny Holloway says the increase is "a step in the right direction".

"You're not going to eliminate knife crime, but we have to do our level best to make sure as few people as possible suffer from the misuse of knives like Thomas did," she said.