MP’s call for bobbies on beat after man stabbed in head

Currents Lane, Harwich, was the site of a stabbing of a man in his 20s Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

A man in his 20s was stabbed in the back of the head in an attack by three or four men in the Currents Lane area around 1.15am on Saturday morning.

He has since been discharged from hospital in a stable condition after he was set upon by the group.

His attackers have all been described as white and aged in their 20s. Two were wearing grey jackets and light-blue jeans at the time of the assault.

They left the scene on foot in the direction of Bathside.

Three or four attackers are thought to be involved in the incident and Essex Police are requesting any information that will assist thier investigation Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

Currents Lane is an alleyway in the heart of the historic part of Harwich, close to the town train station and close to hotels, bars and shops.

Sharon Shaw, who manages The Swanhouse, felt the stabbing was an escalation in the type of crime usually seen in the area.

She said: “You hear of fights and the sort being broken up by police, that will happen in an area with a nightlife. We have karaoke nights and won’t finish until midnight, so it is worrying that people might be on the street at the same time this stabbing happened.”

Mrs Shaw, 59, who has children in their 20s, added: “The fact that the victim is a young man, as a mother it makes you think: ‘What if they were my kids?’

Sharon Shaw, manager of The Swan in King's Head Street, was shocked to hear that a knife had been used in the attack Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

“It’s upsetting, we don’t hear about this kind of thing happening in Old Harwich.

“There is a real sense of community in this part of town, but now it seems you don’t know who is carrying a knife these days.”

Harwich MP Bernard Jenkin said: “We need more bobbies on the beat. That is what is already happening in Essex.

“The police and crime commissioner is already raising extra funding for more police officers. Last week the government announced further increases in funding for more police officers. We do need more police to deal with the greater variety of crimes.

Accessible from both Church Street and West Street Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

“I am very concerned about this. This kind of thing is very rare in Harwich, though the county lines drug gangs are trying to operate in our area – so I take this very seriously. I hope that arrests will be made very shortly.”

Mr Jenkin added that he thought the public should give the police every possible support when trying to bring criminals like these to justice.

Anyone who was in the area at the time and has not yet spoken to officers is asked to call Clacton CID on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/183229/18.

Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

On one corner Currents Lane has The British Flag pub Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

The victim of the stabbing in Currents Lane, Harwich, has been discharged and left hospital in a stable condition Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)