Portsmouth: Women Stabbed During Attacks

30 June 2014, 07:38 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Police are investigating a second similar report of assault in Portsmouth in just over a week.

A woman was assaulted at around 11.20am on Sunday, June 29 in Hilsea.
 
The 45-year-old local woman was walking her dog on a wooded footpath along the shoreline of Ports Creek (to the east of the footbridge which crosses from Peronne Road to the Highbury estate). She was approached by a man who assaulted her before running off towards Hilsea Lines.
 
The woman sustained a stab wound to her chest as a result of the incident. Her injury is not described as life threatening and the woman is being treated at Queen Alexandra hospital, Cosham.
 
It is not yet clear what weapon was used but the woman’s injury indicates that a knife was used.
        
Searches on the ground and by air followed the report. No arrest has been made at this time.
 
The offender is described as white, in his early 20s and wearing a blue hooded top with yellow writing and blue jeans.
 
A similar report was made at around 10.40pm on Friday, June 20. A 20-year-old woman sustained a wound to her chest when she was assaulted by a man as she walked along Southampton Road, Cosham near Ashurst Road. The woman also sustained non-life threatening injuries.
 
Detective Inspector Mark Tutton said: “This type of unprovoked attack is extremely unusual, particularly two similar incidents in the north of the city in just over a week. We are obviously investigating the possibility that these are linked.
 
“We need to identify the person responsible and I would encourage anyone who may be able to help us do this to contact us as soon as possible. We would also appeal to anyone who may have witnessed the assault to come forward.
 
“Reassurance patrols by local Safer Neighbourhoods teams in the Hilsea area are ongoing.”