This week has witnessed a surge in violent attacks and incidents across the city centre. Three separate events sparked fears that aggressive acts are becoming more commonplace in Oxford.
Blayne Ridgeway, a 22 year-old father, was stabbed in the heart at 3am outside the Que Pasa restaurant in Oxford city centre, at the top of Castle Street last Saturday morning. He died shortly afterwards at the John Radcliffe Hospital. A 16 year old teenager appeared at the Oxford Youth Court on Wednesday.
Thames Valley Police are also trying to trace a man who helped a teenager after she was sexually assaulted in Oxford city centre Thursday morning. An eighteen year old woman was walking along Magdalen Street East, near to the bus stops by Broad Street, when she was grabbed by an unknown man.
The woman screamed and a member of public intervened and the attacker ran away. The attacker was is in his twenties, with a pink or light red top and dark hair. A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and is being questioned by police.
Yet another investigation was launched on Wednesday, when a dead body was found in the River Isis at Folly Bridge. The body was identified as that of a male. He had been seen in town approximately an hour before his body was discovered.
The body was spotted by a member of the public in a blocked-off inlet of the River just behind Folly Bridge.
Police, fire crews and the ambulance service were present at the incident earlier on today.
Cherwell reporters on the scene spoke to Detective Inspector Morton who said, “We are treating this as an unexplained death. At the moment, we are looking at all the eventualities, which could include murder, accident or suicide. “
Will Harboard, a former Lincoln student who now works behind the bar at the Head of the River pub, said “I’m really surprised this happened just down the road from a police station. It’s pretty shocking.”
The body was found opposite Hertford accomodation. Harboard said, “There was a big group of Hertford students in the pub earlier who were talking about it. They did not believe that there was a dead body in the river, they thought someone had made it up”.
Sam Hawkins, a second year Hertford student, lives in Western Road, just next to where the body was found. He told Cherwell he was “astounded” to hear that dead body had been found so close to his house, and that it was “very unsavoury”.
“Someone was stabbed in central Oxford a few days ago, making this the second violent incident in a week. This is not a laughing matter, I feel very unsafe.”
Police are appealing for witnesses
Violent week in Oxford
