Liverpool stabbings: Police raid homes in investigation

A 21-year-old man was found with stab injuries at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel

Several homes have been raided by police following a double stabbing in Liverpool city centre during a "large disturbance" between two groups of men.

A 21-year-old man remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital while a second 21-year-old is also stable, Merseyside Police said.

A third man, aged 23, who suffered a laceration to the head also remains in hospital.

The force said a fourth victim has been found who is recovering at home.

A 21-year-old man was found at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel in Liverpool at about 05:30 GMT on Wednesday.

A second 21-year-old man later "self-presented at hospital" with a stab wound to the back, along with a man, aged 23, with a head laceration believed to have been caused by being hit with a bottle or glass, police said.

A fourth casualty, aged 20, has also been identified with lacerations to his head, police said.

The force said it was believed two groups of men had come together after leaving The Safehouse nightclub.

It said warrants were carried out in Anfield and Wavertree earlier and officers seized "evidential items".

Police believe two groups of men came together after leaving The Safehouse nightclub before a "large-scale disturbance"

A Section 60 order was introduced for the city centre giving officers enhanced stop and search powers in the area and police carried out 66 stop searches.

The force said there were six arrests following the stop searches, mainly for drug-related offences.

Det Ch Insp Tony Roberts said detectives were making "considerable progress" in the investigation and thanked everyone who had assisted the force so far.

"We are continuing to appeal for anyone who was in a vehicle or on foot in the area of Peter Street who may have witnessed the disturbance to come forward if they haven't already done so," he said.

"I would also ask taxi and delivery drivers to check their dashcams to see if they captured anything significant and members of the public to come forward if they captured any photographs or video footage on their mobile phones."

He added: "We know that the people are often our eyes and ears and would ask anyone who has any information to come forward so that we can take action against those responsible."

The attack was the second stabbing in the area in recent days, after a man suffered leg wounds in an attack on Whitechapel on 23 December.

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