Boy stabbed with screwdriver while playing in park

A MUM said she is reluctant to let her 10-year-old son play outside after he was stabbed, with doctors saying the wound looked to be caused by a screwdriver.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Apr 2018, 15:50 BST
Updated 2nd Apr 2018, 15:55 BST

The youngster Landen Holt was playing near his Stamshaw house, in Portsmouth, when he was attacked by a group of teenagers at 7.30pm on Easter Sunday.His mum Kerry Holt said they did not realise the extent of his leg injury until they got him home and spotted the hole in his thigh.Doctors said the wound went down about two to three inches and looked like a screwdriver has caused the damage.Landen said: ‘Me and my friends were playing football in the cages at Stamshaw Park and these teenagers said it was their football.‘They tried to take it away but I said it wasn’t theirs, it was ours.‘Then they jumped on me. I thought they had punched me but they hadn’t, they had stabbed me with a screwdriver.’Kerry, 40, of Gruneisen Road, added: ‘One of his friends ran into the house saying teenagers were beating him up.‘I walked to the park and saw the group running off, they looked to be about 15 to 16-years-old.‘We saw his leg was bleeding but thought it was just a graze. When we got back home, we saw the deep gash in his leg and took him to the hospital. It was there the doctors said it looked like he had been stabbed with a screwdriver.’Landen is recovering from his injury at home and Kerry has since reported the incident to the police who confirmed they are investigating.She said: ‘It’s lucky the injury was on his leg and not anywhere where it could have caused real damage. It could have been really dangerous.’Landen plays in the park near his house a lot and Kerry said he is a child who loves being outdoors.‘It will be a struggle to keep him inside as he isn’t one for playing computer games or being on a phone,’ she said.‘He loves playing outside although I will be on edge and worried after what’s happened, it is a bit scary.‘There have never been these sort of problems before even though teenagers do hang around the area.‘I know I will be checking on him every couple of minutes when he is well enough to play outside again.’A police spokeswoman said: ‘Police are investigating after a 10-year-old boy was assaulted in Stamshaw Park, Portsmouth.‘At some time between 7.20pm and 7.35pm the victim and his friends were approached by a group of older children.‘The boy was assaulted and received a puncture wound to his leg. He attended hospital where he was treated for his injuries.‘This matter is under investigation.’Anyone with information should call Hampshire Constabulary on 101 quoting 44180120592.