A MOTHER whose son was knifed to death in Colchester’s Greenstead estate says society needs to reclaim the streets from people carrying knives in the wake of a stabbing.
A man, 20, from east London, was attacked opposite a playing field in Hickory Avenue, on Friday, at noon.
He was stabbed in the stomach and leg and robbed of a mobile phone by two men.
Ann Oakes-Odger’s son, Westley, 27, was killed at a cash machine at Hunwicke Shopping Centre, in 2005, a few hundred metres from the stabbing four days ago.
Mrs Oakes-Odger appealed for witnesses.
She said: “We need to take back our streets and keep them safe from people carrying knives.
“I know the difference between someone surviving a knife attack or not is pure luck, so to hear these things are still happening is disturbing.
“I know the pain this sort of street crime causes personally, and I am shocked it has happened in Greenstead, in front of children.
“If anyone knows anything please come forward, even if it is to Crimestoppers anonymously if you are worried.” Tim Young, borough councillor for St Andrews, said he was shocked and horrified when he heard what happened.
He said: “This was an isolated incident and in 20 years I have never felt scared at any time in Greenstead.
“We will support the police in any way we can to bring the perpetrators to justice, because we don’t want them on our streets.
“Nobody should be carrying a knife in public and we have had very few knife attacks in the area in the past 12 to 18 months.”
Detectives have renewed their appeal for information from anyone who may have seen the attack or where the suspects, two black men, went afterwards.
The victim’s injuries are not life threatening.
Anyone with information can call Colchester police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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