Two stabbed to death as capital suffers a violent start to the year

AFTER London suffered its most deadly 12 months in a decade, it was hoped that the new year would prove to be a catalyst for change, but 2019 was a little more than four hours old when the capital claimed its first suspected murder victim.

A woman was stabbed to death in the early hours of New Year’s Day at a property on John Ruskin Street, in Camberwell, south London. The victim, aged in her early 30s, was pronounced dead at 4.50am after paramedics tried for half an hour to save her life.

A 34-year-old man was initially held at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder but has been bailed until midjanuary.

Less than an hour later, a security guard was stabbed to death and three others injured as they tried to bar a group of men from entering a New Year’s Eve party at a property on Park Lane, Westminster, at around 5.30am.

The victim, believed to be in his early 30s, died of his injuries. Two other men, aged 37 and 29, and a 29-year-old woman were also stabbed.

Det Chief Insp Andy Partridge said: “It appears the deceased and the two injured males were working as security staff for the party. They were attacked by a group of males who were outside trying to enter the venue.”

Meanwhile, a woman was shot in the leg at Visions Video Bar, in Hackney, east London, in the early hours of yesterday. She was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Scotland Yard confirmed there had been 134 homicides in London in 2018.