Woman whose young cousin was stabbed to death by father launches petition to bring knife angel sculpture to city

William Billingham, 56, was jailed for life last year for the murder of his daughter Mylee on January 20, 2018.

Billingham stabbed his daughter to death with a kitchen knife in an act of revenge against his ex-partner.

The unemployed factory worker is serving a minimum term of 27 years after he was convicted of murder and making a threat to kill Mylee's mother, Miss Taundry, while holding a knife to her neck.

Mylee's cousin Hayley Lowe, 25, said: "Mylee's death has torn everyone apart.

"I never knew the true extent of knife crime before it hit me and my family.

"So many people around the country have been devastated by this crime, but no one seems to want to help."

She said: "I would love to bring the knife angel to Sheffield.

"Our region is the second highest in knife crime so we quite clearly have a massive problem.

"There are a lot of families in Sheffield who have lost their kids, their brothers, sisters and other family members to this crime and they want it here as well as a memorial type thing and something to help them in their grieving process. But it is also to educate, not just the young kids, but everyone."

The sculpture, which was permanently homed at the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry, began its tour around the UK in 2018 and has so far visited Liverpool, Hull, and Coventry.

Miss Lowe is not the only person calling for the knife angel to visit Sheffield.

Anne Gray, whose 19-year-old grandson Jamie Stuart was stabbed to death while walking home from a party in Parson Cross in 2011, previously wrote to the council urging them to host the sculpture.

Miss Lowe now claims the council have rejected pleas to bring the knife angel to Sheffield.

"I need people to come together and prove to them that we we do want this magnificent piece of art.

"I want to raise awareness of just how many people have been affected by knife crime. I want to change the council's decision and host the knife angel where it is needed.

Councillor Paul Wood, the council's cabinet member for community safety, is tasked with making the final decision on the knife angel and said he is currently checking costs.

“I’ve not made a decision, I’m just getting things in place to make a decision," he said.

“My officers contacted the people responsible for moving it. Wherever we site it it’s going to take some work because they have to put a base in to secure it and a crane to lift it. The costs at the bottom end would be just over £10,000 but more than likely to be around £15,000.

“Then we would need to have a deal to run a campaign for 28 days on knife crime which means I would then have to tie up officer time, community workers and all the project work that would need doing. So I’m getting a full costing of it before I really make any decision.”