Man taken to hospital with head injury and knifeman wanted after ‘serious’ incidents

Police believe the two incidents are linked

Police are appealing for information after two ‘serious’ incidents in Haverhill. One man is in hospital with a head injury, and another man is wanted by police after allegedly carrying a large machete-style knife.

A man, in his 40s, was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with a head injury after being hit on a footpath near the Cangle Road supermarket. Officers were called by the ambulance service at 7.45pm on Saturday, April 18, to reports of an injured man in the car park at the Tesco supermarket on Cangle Road. He remains in a stable condition.

It is reported that the victim, a man in his 40s, was assaulted at around 7pm on the old railway line footpath in the town. The man was reportedly walking with his partner when he was approached by a group of around five young males who shouted verbal abuse.

After he tried to speak to them, one of the males allegedly hit him on the head with a large branch. Officers are dealing with the incident as racially aggravated grievous bodily harm.

At 7.32pm, police were called to reports of a man with a large machete-type weapon in the vicinity of the same Tesco supermarket on Cangle Road. The suspect was shouting at members of the public before walking off.

No threats were directly made and nobody was injured. The suspect is described as a white man who was wearing a black jumper and black trousers.

Police are currently exploring possible links between the two incidents. Officers are reviewing CCTV and carrying out other enquiries in the area to understand the full circumstances.

Anyone with relevant CCTV or doorbell camera footage or anyone driving in the area at the time with a dash camera is asked to contact police. Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Suffolk Police quoting crime reference 37/22010/26 (GBH) and/or 37/21933/26 (knife incident).