Bognor Regis stabbing: man knifed in head, chest and arms at seafront park

Police detain 23-year-old from London on suspicion of attempted murder

Police at Marine Park Gardens in Bognor Regis, West Sussex (YouTube/ jonoatlast)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing at a park in Bognor Regis.

Police were called to Marine Park Gardens at about 5.30pm on Sunday following reports of a knife attack at the seafront attraction in West Sussex.

The victim, said to be in his 20s, was found “bleeding quite heavily” after being stabbed in the head, chest and arms, Sussex Police said.

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

According to the force, a 23-year-old man from Barnet in north London was later detained by officers. He remains in custody.

Detectives asked anyone with information to call 101 and quote reference number 1237 of 10/03.

The incident comes amid escalating knife crime in the capital, and across the UK.

On Sunday afternoon a 19-year-old was left fighting for his life in east London after being stabbed at Pytchley Road, East Dulwich.

A 15-year-old boy has also been charged with the murder of Jodie Chesney, who was knifed in the back near a children’s playground in Harold Hill, Romford, on 1 March.

Her murder prompted fresh anguish about the high levels of knife crime across England and Wales as police battled a spate of stabbings.

The knife crime epidemic has also sparked a furious debate over police numbers with Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick dismissing Theresa May’s claims that a rise in violent crime was not directly correlated with falling staff levels.

The number of police officers in England and Wales has dropped by more than 20,000 since 2010.

“If you went back in history, you would see examples of when police officer numbers have gone down and crime has not necessarily risen at the same rate and in the same way,” Ms Dick previously told LBC.

“But I think that what we all agree in is that in the last few years police officer numbers have gone down a lot, there’s been a lot of other cuts in public services, there has been more demand for policing and therefore there must be [more resources ] and I have consistently said that.”