Man arrested for suspected hammer attack on two women
A MAN has been arrested after a mother and daughter were left fighting for their lives after an allegedly unprovoked hammer attack in the street.
Last night, Joe Xuereb, 27, was arrested on suspicion of carrying out the vicious beating in Adderley Gardens, Greenwich, south-east London.
Officers were called at 12.10pm yesterday to find the women, aged 64 and 30, suffering from devastating injuries “consistent with a violent assault”, Scotland Yard said. They were taken to south London hospitals where they are in a critical condition.
A hammer was recovered from the scene “believed to have been used in the assault”, a police spokesman added.
Detectives took the unusual step of naming Mr Xuereb last night, before confirming that he had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
A man was arrested after a woman spotted him and followed him in her car, they said.
Earlier, neighbours described hearing screams and a “commotion”.
Bob Gover, 69, who rang 999, heard a scream outside his window from a passer-by who saw the mother and daughter with devastating injuries.
The retired TV engineer said: “I heard a bit of a commotion, I looked outside and there was about half a dozen people out there.
“I went out there and I saw blood on the face of one of them so I ran inside and phoned for an ambulance.
“One of them was sitting upright with somebody holding her up, while the other one was lying down. They were both covered in blood.”
The younger woman’s partner was at her side attempting to comfort her when the ambulance arrived, he said.
A female neighbour said: “It’s just awful. I don’t think they were from here. I heard they were just walking through.” The suspect, thought to live on Adderley Gardens, is believed to have mental health issues, police said.