A 22-year-old man has been left in hospital after suffering multiple stab wounds to his arm and stomach following an attack on St Clement’s street on Sunday 12th February.
The incident, which took place at around 1am, was thought to have happened after a fight between the victim and two other men, who have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and released on bail until April.
Investigating officer Detective Con Craig Burchall, of Force CID in Oxford, said, ‘We now know there was a large disturbance involving at least five men, which originated in York Place and moved into St Clement’s Street at about 1am. Several witnesses have already come forward, but I am appealing to anyone who saw men fighting in this area at that time to come forward.’
The St Clement’s area has a high student population from both Oxford and Oxford Brookes University. Katrii Piparinen, a second year student at Mansfield who lives near St Clement’s, commented, ‘I’m of course shocked to hear that a stabbing took place near where I live. However, I have never personally felt unsafe living in Cowley. I think the main thing that students can do is just to be sensible by not walking home alone late at night and being willing to pay for taxis when necessary.’
However, this view is not shared by everyone. One second year student expressed desire to move away from the St Clement’s area, saying, ‘I really hate it here – you hear about incidents of this kind every week and there is none of the safety I felt living in the city centre. I can’t wait to get back into college accommodation – my experience of living out has not been very enjoyable.’
