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Man questioned after knife attack on three teenage girls
Steven Morris
Friday August 25, 2006
The Guardian
Police were last night questioning a man over a "sustained and frenzied attack" in which three teenage girls were repeatedly stabbed with a long-bladed knife after being followed off a bus after an argument in Bridport, Dorset.
One of the girls, Charlotte Teague, 14, suffered "life-threatening" wounds to her chest and stomach and was treated in intensive care.
Her friend, Sophie Hyne, 15, was stabbed in the face and upper body, while Kirsty Edwards, 17, was wounded in her back and stomach. The three were later said to be stable in the Dorset County hospital in Dorchester.
The girls had spent Wednesday in Weymouth before taking the bus back to Bridport. Charlotte and Sophie live in Bridport, and Kirsty is from Staffordshire.
It is thought that they were laughing and joking during the journey and were told to shut up by a man who was sitting in front of them.
Chief Inspector Nick Maton said: "The bus arrived in Bridport shortly before 6pm and the three girls left the bus.
"What happened next can only be described as a sustained and frenzied attack on three friends who received serious stab wounds. The girls felt like they had been punched, then saw the puncture wounds and noticed that there was blood and realised they had actually been stabbed."
The girls will be interviewed once they are well enough.
Helen Choudhury, who works at the Taj Mahal restaurant near the scene of the attack, said the episode was like something out of a horror movie.
Alan McNamee, 39, who saw the aftermath, said: "One of the girls was saying they had been sat behind a man on the bus and were laughing and joking. The man turned round and told them to shut up."
Kay Taylor, the headteacher of Sir John Colfox school in Bridport, where Sophie and Charlotte are pupils, said: "The whole school is shocked by the attack on Charlie, Sophie and their friend. Both girls are loyal to their friends and caring towards others. It's terrible that this could happen in a small town like Bridport."
Police asked other passengers who were on the bus to come forward. They were also studying footage from CCTV cameras in Bridport.
The assault is the latest in a series of high-profile knife attacks. It follows the end of a national knife amnesty, during which 90,000 knives and other bladed weapons were handed in across the country.
A 20-year-old man from Bridport was arrested yesterday afternoon.
Father, 22, shot dead near home after confronting gang of teenagers
· Victim died near where he was stabbed in January
· Police accused of ignoring report into earlier crime
Sam Jones
Thursday August 24, 2006
The Guardian
A young father who was shot dead after confronting a gang of youths may have been stabbed by the same group a few months earlier, detectives said last night.
Peter Woodhams, a 22-year-old father of one, was shot on Monday evening after a run-in with the gang outside a parade of shops in Freemasons Road, Canning Town, east London. It emerged yesterday that Mr Woodhams had been set upon by a group of youths and stabbed in the neck near the same row of shops seven months ago after confronting them for throwing a stone at his car.
His fiancee, Jane Bowden, said that she had phoned police every day for five weeks following the knife attack, but that officers never even took a statement from her. No one was arrested in connection with his stabbing.
A senior Metropolitan police officer last night apologised to Mr Woodhams's family for "any hurt" that the investigation into the stabbing may have caused.
Speaking at a press conference, Commander Rod Jarman said: "During our murder investigation we became aware of a stabbing that took place involving the victim in January. We believe the two incidents may well be linked.
"We have now referred the earlier investigation for review. We will establish and deal with any possible failures in the previous investigation."
"I want to reinforce my apologies for any hurt that may have been caused to the family and state again our intention to investigate what happened."
It is thought that Mr Woodhams drove home after an initial confrontation with the youths early on Monday evening, but decided to go out again to talk to them. Moments later, he was shot. He then managed to stagger home, where he collapsed in front of Ms Bowden.
Paramedics tried to save his life at the scene, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal London Hospital. A post-mortem examination gave the cause death as a gunshot wound to the chest.
The police officer leading the investigation revealed yesterday that a handgun had been used in the murder, adding it was likely that more than one shot had been fired. "Peter did appear to have a defence wound to his hand and more than one shot was fired, which demonstrates the level of violence and determination of this person to kill Peter," said Detective Chief Inspector Ian Stevenson.
Ms Bowden told the Sun that she had been left "shattered" by his murder. "He kept trying to get to his knees and was saying he couldn't breathe," she said."But I thought he was going to be all right because the wound didn't appear to be near his heart - although it was.
"I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye. An hour before he went we were kissing and cuddling. It has shattered me."
Ms Bowden said she and her fiance had been subjected to a campaign of intimidation by a group of youths since the stabbing, but that they had refused to give in.
Floral tributes laid at the door of Mr Woodhams's house yesterday included flowers left on behalf of his three-year-old son, Sam. The note read: "To the world's greatest daddy, missing you and love you lots, love, your little man, Sam."
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said Mr Woodhams had talked about moving away from the area after being stabbed.
A 14-year-old boy arrested in connection with the investigation was released on bail yesterday.
Police shoot armed man outside school
Thair Shaikh
Saturday August 19, 2006
The Guardian
An armed man was shot by police and seriously injured while sitting in a car outside a school yesterday afternoon. Officers had responded to reports of an agitated man armed with a gun sitting in a car outside the Hagley Park high school in Rugeley, Staffordshire.
After a 15 minute stand-off, police fired several shots, hitting the man in the hand. He remained in a serious condition in Staffordshire General hospital last night, although his injuries were not described as life threatening.
A spokesman for Staffordshire police said: "He was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill. No other members of the public were involved in the incident."
A woman who lives near the school, which was empty at the time of the shooting, said she believed the incident involved a man rowing with his former wife over their young children.
Staffordshire police said the force had appointed a senior investigating officer to look into the incident and had referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which sent inspectors to the scene yesterday.
A spokesman for the IPCC said: "The man received injuries and, if the police injure a member of the public, it is referred to us. Our investigators are looking at the matter to establish if that is the case."
June 30th 2006
Nineteen stabbed to death during knife amnesty
There have been almost 100 serious or fatal knife attacks in England and Wales since the government introduced a knife amnesty five weeks ago, a survey has found.
The figure includes 19 fatal stabbings with another 18 stabbings in Scotland, four of which were fatal.
The findings, by the Press Association, will fuel fears that knife culture in Britain is out of control despite police efforts to crackdown on the blade-carrying craze.
Nick Herbert, the shadow police minister, said: "This is a shocking indictment of how violent crime is spiralling out of control on our streets. This is exactly why we have proposed tougher sentences for knife crime which the Government has opposed."
The 51 police forces across England, Wales and Scotland were questioned for the survey. They were asked to provide details of the knife attacks they had publicised in their force areas during the government’s National Knife Amnesty, which ran from May 24 to June 30.
It is not a definitive list of all knife crime, but an approximation of the number of serious knife incidents recorded by police forces
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone MP said: "Knife crime is a serious and growing problem in Britain today, and occasional amnesties are simply not enough to tackle it.
"We need stiffer penalties for carrying knives. There should be a seven year maximum sentence equal to that for carrying a gun.
"It is too easy for young people to get hold of knives, so it’s essential we crack down on shops that sell knives to children.
"Fundamentally, Government, councils, schools and communities must work together to challenge the culture that encourages young people to carry knives."
The most serious attacks included:
· An attack on a good Samaritan, Ian Montgomery, who was knifed as he went to help a woman who was being attacked outside a bar in Hockley, Nottingham. The attack left him critically injured
· An attack on a 22-year-old man - again in Nottingham, this time in St Ann’s - who was slashed with a knife in an unprovoked attack on his own doorstep
· Thomas Grant, 19, a student from Churchdown, Gloucestershire, was stabbed to death on a train.
One week into the amnesty the Government released figures which showed that nearly 18,000 weapons had been handed in, including an anti-tank rocket launcher.
Among the weapons deposited in sealed red bins were cut-throat razors, samurai swords, axes, machetes, meat cleavers and an 1880 bayonet.
One week into the amnesty, the government released figures which showed that nearly 18,000 weapons had been handed in, including an Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher!!
Surprised police officers in Devon and Cornwall took receipt of the M72 lightweight anti-armour rocket launcher which was handed over at Wadebridge police station. Also known as a "tank buster", it weighs 8lb and has a range of up to 350 metres.
A total of 17,715 weapons were handed in during the first seven days of the amnesty in England and Wales, the Home Office said.
Before the amnesty began the issue of knife crime had already been brought to public attention following a number of high profile stabbings.
Off-duty special constable Nisha Patel-Nasri was murdered with her own kitchen knife as she tackled intruders outside her home in Wembley, north-west London in May while a promising young footballer, Kiyan Prince, was murdered outside the London Academy in the Edgware area of the capital six days before the amnesty got underway.
Dee Edwards, co-founder of Mothers Against Murder And Aggression, said that while she welcomed the amnesty she did not think enough had been done to promote the fact that it was going on. She said: "The fact that there were 130 knife attacks in one month just appals me and it proves that we are not doing enough.
"Ten years ago you would expect that number in a year. The idea of an amnesty is good but on their own they do not work. They need to be backed up by education in schools on the dangers of carrying knives and proper sentencing."
February 2006
Man detained over knife attacks
A man who carried out random knife attacks in two towns has been detained for psychiatric assessment.
Grant McCartney, 35, who is currently in the State Hospital at Carstairs, admitted attacking six different men in Paisley and Renfrew last January.
Four victims were all attacked within an hour in Paisley and he then stabbed two more men in Renfrew.
A judge said McCartney should be detained for a further 12 weeks and assessed during that time.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how McCartney's frenzy lasted for five hours on 26 January, 2005.
He was originally charged with six attempted murders but when he appeared in court he pleaded guilty to five serious assaults and one assault to injury.
Details of the attacks were not revealed in court but it was known that the first victim was a 29-year-old man who was attacked when he got off a number 66 bus.
He was going down steps leading from Lochfield Road to Pine Street at 1610 GMT when he was approached by McCartney and attacked with a knife.
Seriously injured
A 30-year-old man was stabbed near the Piazza shopping centre as he also got off a 66 bus.
The third victim was a 55-year-old man who was walking along Paisley High Street. He was seriously injured.
The fourth was a 44-year-old man who was stabbed in the back as he got off a number 20 bus in Marjory Drive in the Gallowhill area.
McCartney also attacked a man in Fulbar Lane, Renfrew, and a 26-year-old man was stabbed at The Kind Man's pub, Hairst Street, Renfrew, at about 2125 GMT.
A huge manhunt was launched and McCartney was arrested the next day by two plain clothed officers in Canal Street, Renfrew.
Prosecutor John Hamilton said McCartney had seven previous convictions.
Knife attack on Law Society man
A senior Law Society Official is recovering after a frenzied knife attack outside his home in Edinburgh
Leslie Cumming, 62, fought off the masked attacker as he was about to enter his home in Murrayfield Drive on Monday afternoon.
Mr Cumming, a chief accountant of the Law Society of Scotland for 26 years, was stabbed several times in the body and received cuts to his face.
He is in a stable condition in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
The attacker ran off towards Ormidale Terrace and the Roseburn area.
He was described as being in his 20s, of stocky build and was wearing dark clothing and a dark balaclava.
Police are appealing for help to trace the attacker.
A statement issued by the society said: "The best wishes of colleagues and friends at the Law Society of Scotland are with Leslie Cumming, the society's chief accountant and his family.
"Leslie Cumming was attacked yesterday. Thankfully his injuries are not serious and he is already making a good recovery.
"The society is in touch with the police but has no information at this stage about the attack or any reason for it."
Police said they were not yet sure if it was a random attack or if Mr Cumming may have known the assailant.
A police spokesman said: "This was an extremely frenzied assault which has left the victim with many cuts to his face and stab wounds.
"It was fortunate that he was able to fight off his attacker or the consequences may have been far worse."
Disabled parking row knife attack
A man who wrongly parked in a disabled space at a supermarket had his throat cut by a genuine disabled driver
David Williams, 49, from Newport, slashed Christopher Barrell's throat with a four-inch knife at Tesco's in Cardiff Road, Newport.
Williams, a former civil servant, admitted causing actual bodily harm and having a bladed weapon in public.
Cardiff Crown Court imposed an 18-month sentence suspended for 18 months.
The court heard Williams, who was recovering from hospital treatment, was furious at not being able to find a disabled space in the supermarket's car park.
When he saw 42-year-old Mr Barrell sitting in a disabled bay without a permit, he jumped out of his car and shouted at him.
Mr Barrell replied: "Sorry, I won't be long," before Williams produced a four-inch lock knife."
Prosecuting, Harry Baker, said: "Williams reached into the car and slashed Mr Barrell's throat.
"Alarmingly, he went back to his car, lit a cigarette and waited 30 minutes for his wife to arrive."
"Completely blank"
Police arrested Williams after viewing CCTV footage from the supermarket and finding Mr Barrell's blood on the lock-knife.
He said Mr Barrell had been "cheeky" but alleged he could not remember the assault.
Defending, Simon Goodman said: "His memory of the incident is completely blank."
The court heard Williams, his wife and son were all registered disabled, and Williams's medical problems included depression and treatment for psychiatric illness.
Sentencing, Judge Roderick Denyer said: "If you put a knife to a person's neck there is a serious risk of killing them.
"Your wife and son are also disabled and you have to care for them.
"If i locked you up it would have a devastating effect on them"
Knife attack as police investigate death
A knife-wielding man has attacked police investigating a homicide in West Auckland early on Saturday morning.
Armed police and dogs were called to catch the man who was found just a block from the scene of an assault in the suburb of Waterview that left another man dead.
The man has been charged with assaulting a women with a knife. No one has yet been charged in connection with the homicide, but police say they are not looking for anyone else.
The man's body was taken from the scene on Saturday for a post-mortem.
Police continued to gather evidence throughout Saturday as locals tried to make sense of events.
Neighbour Ken Fox says the drama has shocked the quiet neighbourhood.
"It's semi-retired people around here and you know you don't have much trouble around this area."
Police have yet to release any details about the man who died on Friday night of serious head injuries after an alleged assault.
His death sparked a hunt for a vehicle spotted leaving the scene. A police Eagle helicopter found a car a few hours later outside a house just a block from the homicide.
But when officers went to investigate early on Saturday they were allegedly attacked by a knife wielding man.
A 23-year-old Waterview man was eventually subdued and arrested by an armed unit, with the help of police dogs.
He appeared in court on Saturday morning with deep grazes and cuts to his face and arms, a bandaged hand and forehead and a tissue stuck to a cut above his eye.
He was wearing a hospital-issue boiler suit and was remanded in custody until Tuesday.
Cousins jailed for ‘terrifying’ knife attack on brothers
TWO drunken cousins who brought terror to a couple of brothers after forcing their way into their Accrington home are both behind bars.
Burnley Crown Court heard how victim Brian Thomas, 25, was beaten and stabbed by Thomas Cawley who was armed with two knives.
Mr Thomas’s brother Nigel Hesmondhalgh, 32, was attacked by Michael Sweeney who stamped on his head and kicked him in the face.
The victims did not know their assailants, who were looking for cash, but Sweeney lived nearby at the time, Burnley Crown Court heard.
Cawley, 20, of Manchester, admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and burglary. He was given indeterminate detention to protect the public. The defendant must serve at least two years six months in custody before he is eligible for parole and will be on licence for at least 10 years.
Sweeney, 23, a father of two, then of Belfield Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and burglary. He was given an extended sentence of two years eight months and will serve at least one year four months.
Recorder Philip Butler told the duo, both from the travelling community, that the incident was absolutely terrifying and appalling. He added that in some senses knives were almost more horrific than guns.
Sarah Statham, prosecuting, told the court the brothers lived on Belfield Road. In the early hours of 31 August Mr Thomas answered the door and was confronted by two men he had never seen before.
Cawley pushed his way in, ordering Mr Thomas to do as he was told, and then headbutted him on the nose.
Cawley, who was followed by Sweeney, produced a boning knife. Both defendants were wearing socks on their hands.
Cawley punched Mr Thomas in the head and after the victim fell to the floor he stamped on his head repeatedly and kicked him. He demanded money from the victim and then produced a larger bread knife and stabbed him in the thigh. Mr Thomas was attacked with such force the blade broke away from the handle.
Miss Statham said Cawley then "slashed about" with the other knife, inflciting cuts to Mr Thomas’s hands and arms. Meanwhile, Sweeney went upstairs after hearing Mr Hesmondhalgh phoning police, punched him in the face and stamped on him after knocking him to the floor.
Officers arrived but the defendants escaped after smashing a kitchen window.
Sweeney left blood at the scene and was later traced to Wembley and arrested in November. Cawley was arrested nearby after being tracked down by a police dog.
The prosecutor said Mr Thomas suffered a three centimetre wound, cuts, bruises and a smashed tooth while his brother received minor injuries. Since the attacks, Mr Thomas had moved back with his mother, could not sleep and was afraid to go out.
Neither defendant made any comment when interviewed by police.
Joe Boyd, for both defendants, said they were extemely drunk and were looking for money. Cawley was immature and a binge drinker who would change entirely after having alcohol.
Sweeney was very aware of the difficulties he had had in not having a father and was extremely keen to play a responsible role for his own children.
Knife attack in square
A male student fell prey to a vicious street attack in Wellington Square in the early hours of last Wednesday morning, as he headed alone towards Regent's Park College.
The student was repeatedly struck across the head and torso by two unidentified men. He managed to return to college, reaching Regent's Park with ripped clothes and open injuries. No attempt at theft was made and the attack appears to have been unprovoked. At present, the matter has been placed in the hands of the police for further investigation.
The Regent's Park College JCR President, Mr Peter Bond, commented that he was 'deeply concerned' about the incident. He was keen to urge students in the college not to go out alone after dark unless 'absolutely unavoidable.'
Mr Bond also thanked the college fellows for their support and for the pastoral care of the student concerned. The student has returned home to recover from the assault and rest with his family.
Members of Regent's Park have reacted with suprise and concern to the sudden attack. The incident follows a spate of other attacks on students, including a recent incident outside Oxford's Bar Med in April. One college member described the attack as "a wake up call; it is easy to feel that in Oxford you are invincible."
Another told the Oxford Student: "I don't walk anywhere in the evening now... I am very wary."
Knife attack killer jailed
A TEENAGER brutally hacked to death with a Samurai knife was a victim of his own "generous spirit", a court was told.
David Beattie, 19, let two thugs visit his flat because they knew a friend of his.
He was stabbed and slashed 17 times by 19-year-old Paul Lees. Lees had become obsessed with the knife after spotting the 2ft ornament hanging on a wall in the flat during a previous visit.
As David lay bleeding to death, he was robbed of his mobile phone and a games console by a 16-year-old.
David's family were at Manchester Crown Court when Lees was caged for life after admitting murder. A judge ordered he should serve at least 12 years.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to robbery and was given a 22-month detention and training order.
Revulsion
Judge Clement Goldstone said it was clear the pair were fuelled by a cocktail of booze, while Lees had also smoked cannabis before they went to Mr Beattie's flat in Alexander House, Derker, Oldham, one night last July.
The judge said to Lees: "No words of mine can adequately express the revulsion of this court for the nature of the attack you carried out on him."
In the days leading up to the murder, Lees had held the knife and boasted he would like to kill somebody. The morning after the killing, friends found David Beattie's body.
Mr Mukhtar Hussain QC, prosecuting, said Lees went home to Fontwell Lane, Derker, and confessed to his mother and step-father: "I think I have done something bad."
He later told detectives he stabbed Mr Beattie but "had not got a clue" why. The 16-year-old claimed he left the flat before hearing screaming.
After the case, the victim's parents, Paul and Margaret Beattie, said: "David was deeply loved by all who knew him."
Det Chief Insp John Piekos said: "David was probably the victim of his own generous spirit."
Pupil injured in class knife attack
A 14-year-old girl was flown to hospital by air ambulance on Tuesday after being hit in the head with a lino knife thrown by a fellow pupil at a school in Twickenham.
The headteacher of Orleans Park School has moved to reassure parents that the school do all they can to protect the pupils and such incidents are isolated.
Richmond's education chief has added his backing, saying he believes the borough's schools to be some of the most safety conscious around.
Police were called to the Richmond Road school at 10.15am on Tuesday.
The air ambulance, along with a paramedic car and an ambulance, were called to the school and the girl was taken to Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel where the item was removed, without mishap, leaving a small scar.
The boy was arrested and taken to Twickenham Police Station but was released on police bail and an investigation into the incident is now underway.
David Talbot, headteacher at Orleans Park said: "A serious incident involving two pupils occurred on Tuesday morning.
"A disagreement between two pupils in a lesson led to an item of equipment being thrown. As a result of this a pupil was airlifted to hospital. The pupil was released from hospital later the same day.
"The police are investigating this incident and, therefore, I am not able to comment any further.
"I do need to reassure all parents that we will continue to do all we can to protect the health, safety and well being of all pupils in our care."
Councillor Geoffrey Samuel, Richmond upon Thames Council deputy leader and cabinet member for schools, said: "I'm very satisfied that our schools are safety and health conscience and they do all they can to prevent incidents like these, but there is a limit to what they can do. These types of incidents are a problem that wasn't there 25 years ago.
"I am worried about safety in any school, you are dealing with hundreds of teenagers. In general I am confident that our schools are on top of these sorts of problems but it doesn't prevent things happening.
"I think our schools are more safety conscience and on top of the issue than most but an isolated incident has resulted in an injury to a child and that is sad. I'm generally confident that across our schools they are extremely safety conscience"
Knife Attack On Vicar
A vicar was stabbed in the stomach as he walked to visit a parishioner.
The Rev Ian Brady, in his 40s, was attacked soon after leaving the vicarage of St Anselm's Church in Ventnor Avenue, Stanmore, London. He stumbled 100 yards to the parishioner's house with the knife still in his stomach.
Pregnant woman victim of knife attack
A HEROIN addict high on drugs and alcohol tried to stab a heavily pregnant woman in the stomach with a potato knife, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard.
Stuart Glen, 22, admitted slashing and stabbing Darren Rowley before attempting to stab Mr Rowley's wife Donna, who was 36 weeks pregnant.
The court heard that the attack took place at a party in Gorebridge on 16 September last year. A group were at the front door at about 11:30pm when a fight broke out between Glen, an unemployed labourer of Gorebridge, and another man.
After running back to the house to get a knife, Glen slashed and punctured Mr Rowley's upper arm, slightly damaging a muscle. When Mrs Rowley screamed, Glen lashed out at her with the knife, twice aiming for her stomach.
Julie Livingston, defending, said that Glen, who had abused heroin since the age of 15, had only a hazy memory of the attacks.
Sheriff Douglas Allan deferred sentence for background reports. | 
