Earlier this year, I was honoured to be nominated for the Best Awareness Campaign at the True Crime Awards 2025, hosted at the London Hilton. My nomination was among some very noteworthy candidates, and the winner in this category was the campaign “Stamp Out Spiking.”

Headed by Dawn Dines, she founded Stamp Out Spiking to do what no one else was doing—tackle drink spiking head-on.

After hearing far too many stories and witnessing the impact firsthand, Dawn made it her mission to raise awareness, support victims, and campaign for systemic change. She’s spent over 20 years speaking out about drink spiking, pushing for legal reform, training venues and frontline staff, and amplifying the voices of those affected. Her work has led to national campaigns, government engagement, and a growing movement dedicated to eradicating spiking for good.

I had the pleasure of meeting her and discussing her campaign. I congratulated her on the award - she is a down-to-earth woman who has devoted the past two decades to this cause, and I’m genuinely thrilled for her. We agreed to keep in touch. You can learn more about her work at: www.stampoutspiking.org.

The following few days were focused on CrimeCon 2025, where leading individuals and organisations gathered to allow members of the public to engage with experts from across the crime genre. This included crime writers, television and film producers, crime prevention organisations, and professionals working in the field.

For me, this was the first time my campaign had been given a truly international audience. While most attendees were from across the UK, there were also visitors from other European countries, the United States, South America, and Japan.

My message to attendees was clear: knife crime in the UK is at epidemic levels, and there is a way forward. I spoke about the ongoing campaign to establish a dedicated Ministerial Office at Westminster or the appointment of a Commissioner solely focused on knife crime. I also shared updates on the work I’m doing in North Wales, particularly around education and projects in partnership with North Wales Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office.

However, the subject that drew the most attention was the TRACK system.

When I explained the TRACK system, many were surprised by its simplicity and potential effectiveness. On one hand, I found this reaction astounding, but on the other, it reinforced that this straightforward approach to a complex issue had genuine merit—especially for those with little or no first aid experience.

I was approached by representatives from councils and police forces, notably from the South East and Glamorgan, who were eager to take posters for display in key areas. They also asked for permission to reproduce and distribute the posters more widely.

One particularly memorable encounter was with a group of tutors from Queen Anne College of Nursing. After hearing my presentation, they praised the research and confirmed they’d be displaying TRACK system posters in their institution.

Another standout moment came when I found myself speaking with Jo Millington—though I didn’t realise who she was at the time! She introduced herself as a forensic scientist and later turned out to be a renowned figure in some of the UK’s highest-profile cases. Jo is also a consultant on acclaimed crime-based TV series like "Silent Witness" and "Expert Witness." She passionately stated that the TRACK system should be displayed everywhere and promised to spread the posters wherever she goes.

Jo was at CrimeCon to speak about forensic science, particularly in relation to knife crime, which made our encounter all the more relevant. She was joined by members of the charity Inside Justice, which focuses on wrongful convictions based on forensic errors. One of their members, Monika—who is currently studying law and now appears on the cover of my book *Breaking the Chain*—has even cited my work in a recent essay.

I also had the pleasure of speaking with the highly respected criminal psychologist, Professor David Wilson, known for the BBC’s "Crime Files." He was eager to discuss the TRACK system but became particularly interested in my assistant, Paul Ward. David correctly identified Paul as a biker and expressed admiration for him—so much so that I joked to myself that they should probably get a room!

In addition to these encounters, I secured upcoming collaborations with prominent podcasters and influencers, including *Truly Criminal* (800K+ subscribers) and *Naomi Channel* (10 million downloads). Both are keen to interview me about knife crime prevention and the TRACK system.

Special thanks also go to the Chris Donovan Trust (www.chrisdonovantrust.org), Forensic Tales (www.forensictales.com), and Loop Safeguarding (www.loop-safeguarding.org)—all worthy causes who supported my presence at the event.

I'm especially grateful to David Jones and Nancy Baughen for providing me with the opportunity to be part of CrimeCon 2025 free of charge. Over the course of the two days, they and the event crew showed incredible hospitality and support to both myself and Paul.

Finally, heartfelt thanks to Paul Ward - Jade Ward’s father—who assisted me throughout the entire four days. Since Jade’s tragic death, Paul has remained committed to helping others, whether by offering comfort to those grieving or by supporting my mission to prevent further loss through knife crime prevention efforts.