A woman was stabbed inside a church in County Waterford just before morning Mass on Tuesday, in what police believe was a random attack. The victim, Mary McNamara, aged in her 50s, was attacked at Holy Cross Church in Summerhill, Tramore, at around 9:45am. She suffered a single knife wound and was rushed to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, Gardai said.
Parishioner Ann O'Connor, who was kneeling in front of Ms McNamara, described the attack as “very traumatic”. “He just lunged with a knife and she ran and he after her,” she told the Irish Mirror. Ms O'Connor called the victim a “lovely person” and “very gentle”.
“Woman stabbed in church before Mass in Ireland; man and teen stabbed in Kent alleyway in separate random attacks”
A man in his 30s – reported to be a white Irish national – was later arrested at a domestic residence in the area and detained at a Garda station in Co Waterford, where officers can hold him for up to 24 hours. A knife has been seized as part of the investigation.
Parish Priest Richard O’Halloran described the incident as “a very shocking event” and said it happened before Mass in the main body of the church. He believed the attack was random, though added “that's in the hands of the guards”. Gardai are appealing for witnesses who were in the vicinity between 9:15am and 10:15am.
Hours later, in a separate random attack in Gillingham, Kent, a man and a teenage boy were stabbed in an alleyway by a stranger. Kent Police were called to the alley between Ingram Road and Woodlands Road after the assault took place between 10:50pm and 11pm. The victims were walking towards Woodlands Road when a man coming from The Vineries estate “assaulted them with a bladed weapon”, a police spokesperson said.
The attacker is described as white, around 5ft 10in, in his late 20s or early 30s, and believed to have been wearing a white t-shirt, grey shorts and grey trainers. The victims did not know him. He fled in the direction he had come from.
Both victims were taken to a local hospital. The man has since been discharged, while the teenage boy remains in hospital in a stable condition, police said.
Medway chief inspector Gary Woodward said: “Enquiries into the circumstances are underway and residents can expect to see a higher police presence in the area.” Officers are completing house-to-house enquiries and reviewing CCTV footage. Anyone with information is urged to call 01634 792209 quoting reference 46/118240/26, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
