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Updated: Brooke Kinsella says bring back National Service
9:37pm Thursday 3rd July 2008
Comments (62)THE sister of a teenager stabbed to death has called for the re-introduction of national service.
Brooke Kinsella, 25, an actress and drama teacher in Benfleet, said knife amnesties are not enough to tackle street violence and young men should be called-up if they persist in using weapons.
Her brother Ben, 16, died in hospital on Sunday after being stabbed outside a pub in Holloway, North London.
Miss Kinsella, who teaches at the Future Faces Theatre School, based at Appleton School, said: "If these young boys want to pick up a weapon and fight then let them go over to national service and fight for a good cause."
The actress, one of four siblings, revealed her brother had been threatened with a knife once in the past, but had managed to calm the situation down.
She said: "He was scared. He sat down at the time and said, that was the scariest thing', but he just carried on."
In an essay Ben had written, he was the main character who was stabbed, but forgave his killer.
Miss Kinsella, who played Kelly Taylor in EastEnders, said: "It's six lives that have been taken.
"At the moment I can't bring myself to forgive what they've done to my mum and dad."
She also said her "biggest wish" now is for witnesses to come forward in the hunt for her brother's killer.
Friends and family of Ben have set up a fund and website in his memory to raise awareness of the effects of gun and knife crime.
His grieving relatives have turned to the internet to urge all teenagers to "put down their knives and weapons and think about the pain and suffering they will cause".
The popular GCSE student became the 17th teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
Ben's family, led by Brooke, plan to use donations to the Ben Kinsella fund to hold events to raise the profile of the problem of weapons on the streets.
The website address is www.benkinsella.org.uk Three young men, two aged 18 and one aged 19, are in custody after being arrested by detectives investigating the murder.
Your Say YourEcho
152, Rochford says...
8:47am Thu 3 Jul 08
Ethan, UK says...
9:17am Thu 3 Jul 08
Save the regular army for mopping up afterwards.
Amy, Laindon says...
9:21am Thu 3 Jul 08
Adam Andrews, Southend says...
9:27am Thu 3 Jul 08
Dave H, Southend says...
9:30am Thu 3 Jul 08
Claire, Benfleet says...
9:30am Thu 3 Jul 08
I myself served for 4 years in the RAF and feel that it shaped me into the responsible adult that I am today.
My condolences go out to you and your family Brooke.
Tony Winchester, Wos says...
9:46am Thu 3 Jul 08
But not a silly idea it will get them off the streets making them safer for all of us and it wont just benefit knife attacks petty crime will drop drastically aswell,and free up a fair amount of police time aswell so they can get back doing real police work,
Not to mention immigration will ease by major amounts because if they had to defend us after a period of being here they wont bother coming in the first place even a majority born here will go back so then eases pressure on schools health care and so on.and most certainly free up prison space s .
Oh well thats my whinge for the day if you agree then good if not i'll respect your thoughts on this item .
Helen, Essex says...
9:48am Thu 3 Jul 08
ex3para, canvey says...
9:52am Thu 3 Jul 08
Adam, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
9:53am Thu 3 Jul 08
Linda, Basildon says...
9:56am Thu 3 Jul 08
For those who can't resist venting their aggression on to others,(without knives or any other weapons being available) it will be a good way of educating the inhabitants of the population on the island and hopefully some will be able to return to the mainland once they have proved they can be taught how to behave in a civilised way and show respect for others.
Les, Basildon says...
10:03am Thu 3 Jul 08
Les, Basildon says...
10:26am Thu 3 Jul 08
Lock each and every one of them up and let the devil work it out!
The Vicar, Basildon says...
11:00am Thu 3 Jul 08
And why the Army? There are some in the army who are little better than these animals once they're tanked up.
Never been to Colchester on a Friday or Saturday night?
The only good point is that their officers will discipline them if they are out of order.
Aint it just the truth, says...
11:26am Thu 3 Jul 08
The Vicar, Basildon says...
11:35am Thu 3 Jul 08
It's all drink, drink, drink, fight, fight, fight on that show.
How do characters on Eastenders solve their disputes? Fighting and killing other characters.
Robbo, says...
11:56am Thu 3 Jul 08
Margaret Stoll, Rochford says...
12:05pm Thu 3 Jul 08
I agree with 152 of Rochford. The lads who were drafted as national servicemen were very different from the highly-professional armed forces that we had today - why make the present armed forces the scapegoats?
linda, southend says...
12:06pm Thu 3 Jul 08
The Vicar wrote:oh do behave. She is an actreaa for goodness sake - just doing a job. Perhaps Eastenders then is indicative of real life? Is that what you are saying?
Let's not also forget that Eastenders hardly sets a good example to young people does it? It's all drink, drink, drink, fight, fight, fight on that show. How do characters on Eastenders solve their disputes? Fighting and killing other characters.
The Vicar, Basildon says...
12:20pm Thu 3 Jul 08
linda wrote:While I feel sorry for her and her family, a violent society reared on pre-watershed violence must have some effect on the young idiots in this dump of a country. And it's not just to make money for the BBC with their "Action Line." Aren't the producers of Eastenders always carping on about how "realistic" their show is?
The Vicar wrote: Let's not also forget that Eastenders hardly sets a good example to young people does it? It's all drink, drink, drink, fight, fight, fight on that show. How do characters on Eastenders solve their disputes? Fighting and killing other characters.oh do behave. She is an actreaa for goodness sake - just doing a job. Perhaps Eastenders then is indicative of real life? Is that what you are saying?
I don't hear any of these actors/actresses condemning shows for encouraging violent and drunken behaviour while they're on the payroll of such shows. Look at the current storyline with Sean Slater. What's THAT all about? It's hardly entertaining either - unless you view Eastenders as a comedy (which it is).
If Eastenders was indicative of real life then the acts in the show could be said to have a point. However, all the violence and psychotic behaviour in these shows is done purely for grabbing ratings. Burying people alive? Come on.
Everyone on that show is a psycho or a gangster and the villanous characters are glamourised beyond belief. All the women are treated as thinly-veiled whores (with the exception of Dot Cotton of course).
Name one character who is a decent human being on that show.
I can only name one:
Well'ard.
Anon, Rayleigh says...
12:45pm Thu 3 Jul 08
National Service is a great idea, im a law abiding citizen and i am 22 if i had to do National Service i would welcome it with open arms.
Trunkymunghound, Essex says...
1:10pm Thu 3 Jul 08
linda wrote:A fan then eh Linda?( and probably emmerdale, corrie, bill etc etc)
The Vicar wrote: Let's not also forget that Eastenders hardly sets a good example to young people does it? It's all drink, drink, drink, fight, fight, fight on that show. How do characters on Eastenders solve their disputes? Fighting and killing other characters.oh do behave. She is an actreaa for goodness sake - just doing a job. Perhaps Eastenders then is indicative of real life? Is that what you are saying?
So theses soaps have no effect on idiots who watch them?
Think again Linda
Firestorm, Southend says...
1:25pm Thu 3 Jul 08
And that will prevent people from killing others how exactly ?
patriot, westcliff says...
1:47pm Thu 3 Jul 08
marobby, says...
2:53pm Thu 3 Jul 08
James, Southend says...
3:00pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Gill Butcher, Basildon says...
4:21pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Kizzy, Canvey says...
4:22pm Thu 3 Jul 08
E, Essex says...
4:25pm Thu 3 Jul 08
patriot, westcliff says...
4:37pm Thu 3 Jul 08
marobby wrote:we are always hearing of over stretched public serives if every young person did their bit it would ease that problem. During the last national service era there was still regular service men and women no grumbles about taking their jobs
so, we\'ll put all the nasty people in the army, and all the nice ones can empty bins and look after the old folk, nurse and put out fires, but aren\'t those jobs already being taken care of ?
Tony, says...
4:55pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Dave H wrote:I think she was talking about the little scumbags who go around thinking it is clever to use knives and guns. Also if you were to get out a bit more you would find that the percentage of people who do not go around stabbing others is a lot less than 99.99%.
As 99.99% of young people don't go around stabbing people, it's hardly fair to force them into the army, is it?
taz, pitsea says...
5:31pm Thu 3 Jul 08
James, Southend says...
6:08pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Margaret Stoll, Rochford says...
6:30pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Kizzy wrote:This idea has been tried. In the late 1970s/early 1980s there were these 'boot-camp' style YOIs. The then Home Secretary, one William Whitelaw, advocated the 'short sharp shock' approach.
<b> What we need is a boot camp style young offenders unit. They are put straight in to serve their time and it is run ARMY-LIKE - no mucking about and then then should have to work chain gang style on tidying up the streets, graffitti removing, in bright orange suits so everybody knows what these people are.</b>
I have heard it said that all it did was to produce a generation of fit, strong, active young burglars.
Ivanna Goodhump, says...
6:37pm Thu 3 Jul 08
The families of many of these kids who carry knives and commit crime never seem to be highlighted in the press or held responsible for the actions of their offspring.
That bulldozer driver in Isreal this week who killed three people will have his families house demolished by the authorities and all family benefits cancelled.
It may sound extreme but something needs to be done to make some of these feral parents stop and think. If there were immediate strong sanctions against them - eviction, confiscation of property, large punitive fines,cancellation of benefits etc etc coupled with mandatory 5 year sentences for carrying a knife it would go someway toward reducing the problem.
The time for lilly livered liberal attitudes has now past - it's that mindset that has got us into this situation
taz, pitsea says...
7:23pm Thu 3 Jul 08
APR, Benfleet says...
7:51pm Thu 3 Jul 08
paula, grays says...
8:57pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Paul, Canvey Island says...
9:08pm Thu 3 Jul 08
They are a bunch of cowards of the first order, by themselves they cannot operate, they need the backing of a gang behind them, who else would they go to and be able to boast of their mis-deeds.
Kizzy has the right idea. Put them straight into a Boot Camp run by the army, it would not be long before they are crying for their mum. Or maybe not!
Because of the major failure of this generation of parents, a small minority I have to say, their ferel children have taken over adult lives, whereas in the past it was the adult in charge of children, now its the reverse. With this minority of parents they have little or no idea of how to bring up children, and that is why the child eventually takes over and unfortunately these parents are not strong enough, and in the main ill disciplined themselves.
Putting these low lifes into the Army wont work, it will devalue the army, a Boot Camp may just work.
Terry, says...
9:58pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Margaret Stoll wrote:You have to go back to the 50's to have a system that worked, plenty of stodgy food and a beating if they stepped out of line. The soft seventies idea of a "boot camp" was a joke
Kizzy wrote: <b> What we need is a boot camp style young offenders unit. They are put straight in to serve their time and it is run ARMY-LIKE - no mucking about and then then should have to work chain gang style on tidying up the streets, graffitti removing, in bright orange suits so everybody knows what these people are.</b>This idea has been tried. In the late 1970s/early 1980s there were these 'boot-camp' style YOIs. The then Home Secretary, one William Whitelaw, advocated the 'short sharp shock' approach. I have heard it said that all it did was to produce a generation of fit, strong, active young burglars.
Brian Mendes, Ontario Canada says...
1:33am Fri 4 Jul 08
Why are we listening to some bit-part actress?, Get A Grip says...
1:52am Fri 4 Jul 08
Steve, Leigh says...
11:21am Fri 4 Jul 08
debbie, basildon says...
2:30pm Fri 4 Jul 08
mike, southend says...
3:04pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Tony, says...
5:54pm Fri 4 Jul 08
You're stupid wrote:No, the little scumbags who go around shooting, stabbing and kicking people to death, you must be one of them. Don't like to hear what people think of you do you.
Tony wrote:What, like soldiers? You people are f u c king stupid.Dave H wrote: As 99.99% of young people don't go around stabbing people, it's hardly fair to force them into the army, is it?I think she was talking about the little scumbags who go around thinking it is clever to use knives and guns. Also if you were to get out a bit more you would find that the percentage of people who do not go around stabbing others is a lot less than 99.99%.
Dave, says...
5:57pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Tony wrote:I think 'you're stupid', good name by the way, would benefit from a spending some time in the borstals they had in the 40's and 50's.
You're stupid wrote:No, the little scumbags who go around shooting, stabbing and kicking people to death, you must be one of them. Don't like to hear what people think of you do you.Tony wrote:What, like soldiers? You people are f u c king stupid.Dave H wrote: As 99.99% of young people don't go around stabbing people, it's hardly fair to force them into the army, is it?I think she was talking about the little scumbags who go around thinking it is clever to use knives and guns. Also if you were to get out a bit more you would find that the percentage of people who do not go around stabbing others is a lot less than 99.99%.
shallotman, Basildon says...
6:41pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Happy Chappy, Basil - on the - Don says...
7:01pm Fri 4 Jul 08
It will free up decent soldiers to get on and do important work whilst these conscripts are made to peel the spuds, polish boots, or be forced to walk through minefields to ensure the safety of regular troops.
Works for me...
Hugh, Canvey Island says...
7:26pm Fri 4 Jul 08
It also highlights his/her lack of ability and education in not being able to express oneself without recourse to Foul and Abusive language. What a shame.
Bosniavet, Essex says...
10:16pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Anon wrote:Well, Anon, maybe you should just enlist in the regular or volunteer reserve element of HM Forces if you are that keen to serve.
What we are all forgeting here is that someone has lost a life due to mindless violence, you are all quick to come on here and joke about tv shows and what that portrays and everything else but the main point is......someone has lost a life National Service is a great idea, im a law abiding citizen and i am 22 if i had to do National Service i would welcome it with open arms.
I know that the armed forces do not want the type of young people that commit these crimes, but am convinced something needs to be done. For a start, why not impose discipline at home & in schools? Then, maybe we should make life imprisonment mean what it says, & do away with early release schemes, & make inmates serve the sentence imposed.
But, of course, all this is against the human rights of those concerned. we need to consider the law-abiding majority, not the moronic, criminal minority.
With that, I step down from my soapbox & walk away....
cllr neville watson, canvey island says...
9:19pm Sat 5 Jul 08
You're still stupid, And tedious to boot says...
12:36am Sun 6 Jul 08
Hugh wrote:LOL. Could you be a little more pompous do you think?
'You're stupid' epitomises the level of intelligence required to actually put forward a decent posting on such a Anti Social subject, (no intelligence at all), and it shows in what has been written.
It also highlights his/her lack of ability and education in not being able to express oneself without recourse to Foul and Abusive language. What a shame.
John, says...
11:50am Sun 6 Jul 08
You're still stupid wrote:It's true though 'You're still stupid', very apt name.
Hugh wrote: 'You're stupid' epitomises the level of intelligence required to actually put forward a decent posting on such a Anti Social subject, (no intelligence at all), and it shows in what has been written. It also highlights his/her lack of ability and education in not being able to express oneself without recourse to Foul and Abusive language. What a shame.LOL. Could you be a little more pompous do you think?
Les, Basildon says...
12:27pm Sun 6 Jul 08
Bosniavet, Westcliff says...
8:47pm Sun 6 Jul 08
on as unattractive as possible. Can I ask if you have spoken to today's youth about your experiences, maybe you should.....
Les, Basildon says...
10:42pm Sun 6 Jul 08
You're still stupid, And tedious to boot says...
10:15pm Thu 10 Jul 08
It's true though 'You're still stupid', very apt name.Awwwwwwww fanks John. Big kiss.
John, says...
9:53am Sun 13 Jul 08
You're still stupid wrote:As I said before, a apt name. Did you have to look 'apt' up in a dictionary, how long did it take for you to work out how to use a dictionary.
It's true though 'You're still stupid', very apt name.Awwwwwwww fanks John. Big kiss.
You're still stupid, AND, probably the saddest f ucker on the Echo site yet John. Nice one! says...
8:26pm Sun 13 Jul 08
John wrote:'Apt'? Short for 'apartment' innit John?
You\'re still stupid wrote:As I said before, a apt name. Did you have to look \'apt\' up in a dictionary, how long did it take for you to work out how to use a dictionary.
It\'s true though \'You\'re still stupid\', very apt name.Awwwwwwww fanks John. Big kiss.
Lotsa love you gorgeous thing you.
Tony, says...
10:06pm Sun 13 Jul 08
You're still stupid, AND wrote:It's better to keep quiet and let people think you are an idiot then open you mouth and prove it.
John wrote:'Apt'? Short for 'apartment' innit John? Lotsa love you gorgeous thing you.You\'re still stupid wrote:As I said before, a apt name. Did you have to look \'apt\' up in a dictionary, how long did it take for you to work out how to use a dictionary.It\'s true though \'You\'re still stupid\', very apt name.Awwwwwwww fanks John. Big kiss.
Brooke Kinsella
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152, Rochford says...
8:45am Thu 3 Jul 08
Largely they are under 18 so could not be made to fight in any wars anyway.
Brooke makes the assumption that these people will be as 'brave' on the battlefield facing real danger as they are 'brave' when they strut about the street with their knives enforcing their gang culture.
Even if the army did take them on, many would fail the drugs test anyway.