Portsmouth girl's 'sweet 16' descends into chaos as boy, 17, is stabbed repeatedly in violent 'riot'

A GIRL’S ‘sweet 16’ birthday party descended into chaos, with one boy repeatedly stabbed as gangs of ‘rioting’ youths hurled bricks and bottles at each other.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The violence erupted early yesterday morning in Meadowsweet Way, Wymering, as a mass brawl engulfed the street.

Terrified neighbours watched as a group of ‘30 to 50’ youths, armed with sticks, bottles, and bricks, charged each other.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bloodcurdling screams were heard soon after as panicked teenagers rushed to help a 17-year-old boy, who had collapsed in a pool of blood after being stabbed twice in the back.

Police outside Meadowsweet Way, in Wymering, where a 17-year-old boy was stabbed. Photo: Tom CotterillPolice outside Meadowsweet Way, in Wymering, where a 17-year-old boy was stabbed. Photo: Tom Cotterill
Police outside Meadowsweet Way, in Wymering, where a 17-year-old boy was stabbed. Photo: Tom Cotterill
Read More
Portsmouth girl, 16, whose brother was stabbed last week tells of cradling frien...

The injured boy was taken to hospital with ‘serious but not life-threatening wounds’, police said.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old boy from Fareham, arrested in connection with the attack, was still being quizzed by detectives last night.

Terrified residents have since told how they cowered in their homes and watched on in horror as the 17-year-old victim was assaulted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One 47-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, said she was watching TV when she heard glass smashing outside.

‘I looked out of the window and there was a large group of boys and girls – maybe 30 to 50 of them – outside and they were screaming at each other,’ she said.

‘They were picking up branches and poles and swinging them. There were glass bottles being chucked. They were all running at each other. It was a riot.

‘Then I watched as one boy fell to ground. It was like he had been shot, he just went straight down. You could tell he had been stabbed.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ria Green, who was celebrating her 16th birthday, was among those cradling the victim, who was lying in a pool of blood in the street.

She told The News: ‘There was blood everywhere. It was a horrible night.

‘His eyes kept rolling to the back of his head and he stopped talking to me. I thought he had stopped breathing.’

Residents watched as paramedics treated the wounded boy.

Neighbours claimed the night had been ‘quiet and controlled’ until a group of youths arrived at the scene in a taxi shortly before midnight.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That is when they say the violence boiled over and gripped the neighbourhood.

One mother-of-eight, who lives in the street, admitted she has been left fearing for her children’s safety since the brawl.

The 36-year-old said: ‘What’s happened is disgusting. I’m scared to death. I’ve got babies in the house.’

Police were yesterday guarding a house in Meadowsweet Way, with a second part of the road, near the Kwiki Mart in Mablethorpe Road, cordoned off by tape.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A 16-year-old boy from Fareham has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent. He is currently in police custody.

A police spokesman added: ‘We were called to a report of a group of people fighting in Meadowsweet Way, Portsmouth, just after midnight on Sunday, March 8.

‘Officers attended. A 17-year-old boy from Portsmouth was found with two stab wounds to his back.

‘He was taken to hospital. His injuries are described as serious but not life-threatening.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Anyone with information on this incident should call police on 101, quoting the crime reference number 44200087509.

Alternatively, people can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously.