A BOY, 17, will appear before Swindon magistrates charged in connection with a stabbing in East Wichel on Friday.

Here's everything you need to know.

What happened?

Wiltshire Police was called shortly after 3pm on Friday, January 17, to reports of a brawl on Mattocks Path, a side street behind the Wichelstowe canal.

A man in his 20s had received multiple stab wounds to his lower body. Police refused to say how many times the man had been stabbed.

Read more: Police charge Swindon boy, 17, after East Wichel stabbing

He was taken to Great Western Hospital. His condition was not thought to be life-threatening.

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Arrests

Police arrested five people in the wake of the alleged assault. They were:

  • A 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of GBH with intent.
  • Three 17-year-old boys and an 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

A Wiltshire Police spokeswoman confirmed officers went to a house on Yelland Walk, by the East Wichel canal, at dawn on Saturday morning. They arrested two of the 17-year-olds there.

Investigation

Forensics officers and detectives were at the scene on Friday.

Det Sgt Justin Downes, from Swindon CID, said on Saturday morning: "This was a nasty assault but luckily does not seem to have caused life-threatening injuries to the victim.

"We have worked swiftly to collect evidence and witness statements and now have five people in custody.

"Our enquiries are at an early stage, but this appears to have been a targeted attack involving people known to each other, so there is no risk to the wider public.

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"People in the area are likely to see an increased police presence throughout today as we work on our investigation."

Charged

A force spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday morning that a 17-year-old boy had been charged with GBH with intent, affray, possession of a weapon and possession of class B drugs.

He was remanded in police custody and will appear before Swindon Magistrates' Court this morning.

Reassurance

This is not the first act of violence in East Wichel in recent months.

In August, a woman in her 30s was struck with what police dubbed an "unknown object" - locally suggested to have been a hammer.

Read more: Woman, 30s, struck by 'unknown object' in East Wichel attack

Insp Rachel Hardy of the Swindon Community Policing Team sought to reassure residents: “I understand the local community will be concerned by this latest incident, but I want to reassure people that we acted swiftly to begin a thorough and detailed investigation, which has led to a number of arrests and someone being charged.

“We are continuously working both with the local community and partner agencies to tackle knife crime, particularly when it involves young people, and other related criminality."