Alice (20) left ‘traumatised’ after being stabbed by mugger at isolated bus stop
THE mother of a young woman who was stabbed as she waited at a bus stop said her daughter has been left “traumatised” by the attack.
Alice Ridsdale-Dooner (20), from Ratoath, Co Meath, had a breadknife held to her throat and was stabbed in the hand before her handbag and phone were stolen as she waited for a bus home in Blanchardstown, Dublin, on Saturday evening.
Her mother, Gwen Jackson, said Alice was waiting at the isolated bus stop, which is on a slipway, when a man jumped out from some bushes.
“A young man wearing a grey hoodie and a bandana came out of the bushes, grabbed her and threatened her with what looked like a breadknife.
“He said he would stab her if she didn’t give him her bag so she did, but he knew somehow that she had her phone in her pocket and demanded that too.
“He may have been watching from the bushes and saw her put it away.”
In the struggle for her phone, the attacker cut Alice’s hand and then ran off when two girls arrived to help her.
“The bus was coming up the slip-way too at the time. The two young girls sat with her on the bus to make sure she was OK and brought her home.
“She’s very upset and traumatised by it all. It’s an open wound on her hand but it’s OK.”
She said the bus stop is isolated and badly lit and should be moved.
Bus Éireann said bus stop locations are overseen by the National Transport Authority, while lighting is provided by local authorities.