FRIENDS and family of Danny Fox spoke of their desire to see knife crime laws toughened and more young people steered away from carrying weapons.

They set out the aims as residents turned out in Victoria Square on Saturday to support the launch of the family’s #nomoreknives campaign.

Danny, 29, suffered a fatal stab wound on North John Street, St Helens town centre in the early hours of September 2, 2016.

Leighton Holt, 21, from Stockbridge Village admitted causing the injuries but told two separate trials he acted in self-defence. On both occasions the juries could not reach a verdict - and after the second trial Holt was discharged and declared not guilty of murder by a judge at Liverpool Crown Court.

Danny’s family, who are deeply unhappy with the justice system, believe the outcome sent out the wrong message on knife crime.

Danny’s mum Lynda Ashton and auntie Dawn Jones spoke to residents who turned out to sign a petition that calls for stronger knife crime sentences and justice for Danny.

The petition, which is also running online, has amassed more than 6,000 signatures. It will be presented to Parliament by Marie Rimmer, the St Helens South and Whiston MP, who attended today’s gathering.

Danny’s cousin Chris Jones, 27, was among the crowds sporting t-shirts bearing the #nomoreknives hashtag.

He said: “The support we have just shows what sort of a person Danny was. We hope to try and change the law and that someone carrying a knife and using it can’t say it is in self-defence.”

Mr Jones added that the law should recognise that if someone makes a decision to go out carrying a knife they have made a decision that it could be used.

He added: “The criminal case sends out the wrong message – if someone goes into town with a knife there is an intention to use it.”

Chris Simmons, 23 and from Sutton Heath, was Danny’s best friend, added: “We need to get across the message of how knives affect lives.

“If kids realise what the families of knife victims have lost then maybe they would not want to put another family through it.

“People who carry knives need to think about people other than themselves.”

Relatives of Danny will visit schools as part of ongoing community safety work to spell out the devastation blades can bring, it was revealed.

Mr Simmons, who is a teacher for children with behavioural problems, said that is important to educate people that it is not an excuse for them to say they carry as knife because they are in fear for their own safety.

He said if that excuse was acceptable it could breed a cycle of fear that sees more and more people carry knives.

Mr Simmons added that Danny’s death has increased anxiety among their group of friends who now question whether the person they “brush shoulders with while on a night out is carrying a knife”.