Churchgoer stabbed outside Easter Sunday service as man arrested

Police have said they don’t believe the attack outside St Stephen’s Church in Sneinton to be a hate crime

A man was arrested following the stabbing (Creative Commons - CC BY-SA 2.0)

A man has been arrested after a churchgoer was stabbed outside of an Easter Sunday service.

The victim was allegedly followed outside the ceremony at St Stephen's Church in Sneiton, Nottinghamshire, and then stabbed in the abdomen.

Police raced to the scene at around 10.50am after being called to reports of a serious assault.

A 20 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and remains in police custody.

The worshipper was rushed to hospital for surgery and his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Nottinghamshire Police does not currently believe the attack was a hate crime and assured there is no wider threat to the community.

In a Facebook post, a church spokesman said: “Dear friends, after a wonderful Easter service today very sadly a member of our congregation was attacked. He is currently in hospital.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this terribly challenging situation.”

A Church of England spokesman added: “It has been a shock for the community.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this awful tragedy.”

Police are asking anyone who saw what happened or has CCTV footage to call 101, quoting incident number 194 of April 9 2023. Alternatively, they can contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

DCI Mark Dickson said: “Officers were called to Dale Street, Sneinton on April 9 following reports of a serious assault.

“Police arrested a 20-year-old man shortly after the incident on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and he remains in custody.

“An investigation has since been launched to establish what happened and, despite the large police presence in the area, I’d like to reassure the public that there is no wider threat to the community.”