Shopkeepers convicted of selling knives to children are dodging prison sentences, new figures show.

The latest available date reveals no one prosecuted for selling blades to under-16s was sent to jail in the five years up to 2006.

Just 71 people were convicted of selling knives to minors and the average fine was just £411.16, despite the offence carrying a maximum penalty of £5,000.

The figures, obtained in answers to parliamentary questions by the Liberal Democrats, do not include convictions since the law changed last year to ban the sale of knives to under-18s.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "Unscrupulous shopkeepers who sell knives to kids are profiting from the violence on our streets.

"It is unacceptable that so few of them are being punished and those that do are being given such pitiful fines.

"If we are to tackle knife crime, a strong message must be sent to those who ply this deadly trade.

"Fining them a few hundred quid is not going to do that."

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