A senior police officer is calling for young people to think twice before picking up a knife.

It comes after two people were sentenced to more than a decade behind bars for murdering teenager Owen Dunn.

Tyler Hunt, 18, and a 15-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, were jailed at Bristol Crown Court on January 5.

The pair, then aged 17 and 14, hunted Mr Dunn through Swindon on December 4, 2022, travelling from Walcot to Mazurek Way on e-bikes, before stabbing him to death with a machete.

It is believed Mr Dunn was cycling to see his girlfriend at the time of his attack.

Now, Wiltshire Police officers are urging young people to think twice before carrying a bladed weapon.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker of the Major Crime Investigation Team said: "This case is a sobering example of the real dangers of young people carrying knives. Sadly we are seeing a lot of cases involving young people picking them up.

“A lot of them tell us they do it to defend themselves, but if you're already thinking about it in that way you're already thinking about using the knife, that's where the danger lies.

“If you then use it you risk killing someone or causing serious injury."

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DCI Walker continued: "It’s shocking and it’s challenging. We’ve got young people involved, Owen, a young lad who’s lost his life.

"We’ve got young offenders involved who’ve now got to serve a term of imprisonment.

"We’ve got young witnesses who have seen things that most of us have never seen before, and the bravery that they’ve shown engaging with us, but the challenges that brings for them and the ripple effect of cases like this is absolutely huge."

Both defendants were given mandatory life sentences at Bristol Crown Court on Friday (January 5).

Hunt, of Park South, was sentenced to a minimum term of 19 years in jail and the 15-year-old boy was sentenced to a minimum term of 12 years.

The court heard that Hunt had a string of previous convictions which included handling stolen goods, possession of cannabis, and battery, while his young accomplice had no previous convictions.

Mr Dunn's family have since criticised the judge's sentence and decision to ban the media from reporting the 15-year-old's identity.