Woman fends off knife attacker with dog lead

The woman was walking her dog in Top of the Hill Park when she was approached by a man armed with a kitchen knife on Saturday afternoon

A woman approached by a man holding a kitchen knife in Londonderry warned off her attacker by swinging her dog lead at him, police have said.

It is the second attack in Derry over the weekend, after a woman assaulted in a sexually motivated attack managed to fight off her attacker with a torch in Drumahoe on Friday.

Police believe the attacks may be linked.

In the second attack, a woman in her 40s was walking her dog in Top of the Hill Park when she was approached by a man armed with a kitchen knife shortly before 15:00 GMT on Saturday.

The man grabbed the woman but she called out and swung her dog lead at him which made him run off.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are investigating the possibility that this attack is linked to an attack in Drumahoe on Friday.

Police searched the area following the attack on Saturday, but the man had left the area.

It’s believed the suspect headed in the direction of Corrody Road.

He is described as a white man in his 20s, around 5ft 11in (1.83m) tall with a slim build and wearing all black clothing.

The attacker reportedly had his hoody pulled tight around his face.

In a statement Det Insp Ross Olphert said: “We understand that there will be concern in the community at a second knifepoint attack on a woman in just two days, with this latest one occurring during daylight hours.

"However, I can assure residents that a focused, tactical patrolling plan - which includes a high visibility police presence in key areas such as our local parks - has been implemented and there will be an increased police presence across the city in coming days."

The PSNI have said that enquires are continuing to establish if there is a link between the two attacks in County Londonderry.

The police said there is no link between the two weekend attacks and earlier attacks in the city centre last week.

Police have called for anyone with information to come forward.

'Should not be happening'

SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin said the recent attacks on women are a "huge concern" for the city.

"Every woman lives with the fear that something like this could happen to them, whether on a night our or simply going about their life," she said.

"This has been an accepted fact and tolerated within our society for far too long, we have a serious issue here and we have to get to grips with it.

"Mothers are having to caution their daughters to take care when out and about and this should not be happening."

The Foyle MLA said her thoughts are with everyone impacted by recent events and said she intends to raise the issue in the assembly on Monday.