Portsmouth stabbing: Teenager arrested as neighbours voice concerns for their own safety

According to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, a 33-year-old man was stabbed in the back in Clydebank Road, North End, at 4.45pm on January 8 by an individual dressed in dark clothing and remains in hospital in serious condition, though his injuries are ‘not life-threatening.’

A 19-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, as police release a photograph of two potential witnesses and appeal for further information.

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Detective Constable Steph Harrison said: ‘If you know who the people in this picture are, please get in touch or ask them to contact us.

‘We would also like to speak to any other witnesses who were in the area at the time and anyone with relevant dash cam or CCTV footage.’

People who work in Kingston Road, where police say the attacker fled on a white scooter and was almost hit by a red car, were shocked to learn of the violent crime happening on their doorstep, and some said it has affected their feelings of security during working hours.

Tracy Dickinson, 47, who runs the HaHa Hair Salon and Training Academy, said: ‘We are concerned about the area. We have drunk men trying to come into the salon and wanting to talk. Sometimes we have to lock our door throughout the day, it's not even just in the evening.

‘Nothing ever gets done and nothing ever changes. Now we’re thinking about making our sessions finish a little bit earlier due to not wanting students to be walking to bus stops.

‘You should be allowed to feel safe from a workplace but we feel this area at the moment is the unsafest we’ve ever felt. I’ve lived in Portsmouth all my life and this is probably as unsafe as I’ve ever felt walking to my car.’

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Tracy, who heard about the incident on Facebook, added: ‘It’s pretty scary because it’s not just about stabbings. About two weeks ago as well, someone was actually just parked along here on one of the side roads and two lads were trying to get into our car.

‘It actually feels like it doesn’t matter what time it is in this area now, as a woman anyway, it just doesn’t feel safe.

Aaron Wake who works at AMP Electrical Supplies and read about the incident in The News, said: ‘I live in Stamshaw and I walk straight through all the alleyways and it didn’t really concern me, only in the fact that I’m always a little bit dubious walking through there. It's a little bit of a rough area, I think. Without speaking out of turn because I don’t know for sure but I walk what I would describe as probably quite a lot of small drug deals on the way too and from work.

Gary Stone, who runs Kingston Domestic Appliances, added: ‘My kids do come down here every now and then, not to this area specifically but Portsmouth in general. It is worrying that this sort of stuff is going on.’

One source suggested the victim was taken into ‘The Yellow Shop’ international food store for medical assistance.

Anyone with information can call police on 101, quoting the reference number 44230009750.