Portsmouth police stabbing: This is how you can help officers in attempted murder probe

SENIOR police officers have directly appealed to the public for video footage of the stabbing attack on a police officer and its aftermath.
By Ben Fishwick
Published 22nd Feb 2019, 16:17 BST
Updated 22nd Feb 2019, 17:19 BST
A police officer was stabbed in the back at Stamshaw Park near Newcomen Road in Portsmouth, on Thursday, February 21 at 12.15pm. Picture: Sarah Standing (210219-9873)A police officer was stabbed in the back at Stamshaw Park near Newcomen Road in Portsmouth, on Thursday, February 21 at 12.15pm. Picture: Sarah Standing (210219-9873)
A police officer was stabbed in the back at Stamshaw Park near Newcomen Road in Portsmouth, on Thursday, February 21 at 12.15pm. Picture: Sarah Standing (210219-9873)

Both Det Chief Insp Matthew Barcraft-Barnes and Portsmouth district commander Supt Steve Burridge want people to come forward with any mobile phone footage.

It comes after Portsmouth City Council admitted removing three temporary CCTV cameras covering Stamshaw Park where the officer was stabbed yesterday near Newcomen Road.

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Officers had been patrolling the park on Thursday after a report of drug dealing the day before. The injured officer was stabbed in the back during an altercation with a man at the park.

A police officer was stabbed in the back at Stamshaw Park near Newcomen Road in Portsmouth, on Thursday, February 21 at 12.15pm. Picture: Sarah Standing (210219-9873)A police officer was stabbed in the back at Stamshaw Park near Newcomen Road in Portsmouth, on Thursday, February 21 at 12.15pm. Picture: Sarah Standing (210219-9873)
A police officer was stabbed in the back at Stamshaw Park near Newcomen Road in Portsmouth, on Thursday, February 21 at 12.15pm. Picture: Sarah Standing (210219-9873)
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Det Chief Insp Barcraft-Barnes said: ‘The support of the public has been overwhelming – the Portsmouth community has really rallied round.

'They've assisted the police and given us lots of information and supported us with witness testimony, and we're starting to see a lot of people in the immediate aftermath have filmed a lot of the activity that took place.

'What we're looking to do is to speak to anyone with video-recorded footage to send that to us.

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'There's a central mailbox which is [email protected] – please send us that footage even if you don't think it's important it may help us in our search.

'Equally with the male we arrested, we haven't found a weapon yet - we're looking to recover that.

'You may see police officers in the local area doing searches for that weapon.

'If you think that the male may have been in your garden in the local area and you see a potential bladed article that could be the weapon please contact 101 and let us know under Operation Stood and we will come and recover that.’

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Supt Burridge added: ‘Our thoughts remain with our officer and his family, thankfully he is in a stable condition in hospital.

‘Since yesterday we have been inundated with messages of support from the public which means a lot to us all. I know that the officer and his family are reading these and taking comfort from the warm wishes being sent their way, so thank you to everyone for this.’

A 19-year-old man, from London, was arrested in connection with this incident near Stamshaw Park on suspicion of attempted murder. He remains in custody.

Call 101 quoting 44190063033