An information evening was held for young people, parents and professionals to raise awareness of the dangers of becoming involved with knife crime, gangs and county lines – with 140 attendees.

Hertsmere Community Safety Partnership organised the event in conjunction with local primary and secondary schools, which aimed to teach parents how to spot the signs that their child could be at risk of becoming involved in criminality.

Some of the powerful speakers included the parents of two men who were stabbed to death; Alison Cope, mother of Joshua Ribeira and Tracey Hanson, mother of Josh Hanson.

They were joined by Desmond Skyers and Dimitri Jordon, SOS+ Project Facilitators for St Giles Trust, a charity that helps the severely disadvantaged to find jobs, homes and the right support.

They spoke about the harsh realities of county lines, which is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines.

They explained how drug dealers identify young people, the grooming process and the young people’s roles within county lines.

They described the signs that young people display when they are involved in gangs and county lines, what parents should look out for, such as changes in their behaviour, use of new slang words and new friends that they may have met online.

For more information about knife crime, gangs and drugs, visit www.stgilestrust.org.uk, www.crimestoppers-uk.org, www.alisoncope.com, www.nspcc.org.uk, www.thejoshhansontrust.org.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

A video is also available, providing information about the awareness evening.