Morning:
14°c
Woman, 82, stabbed while shopping
Peter Dominiczak and Justin Davenport30.06.09
An 82-year-old woman is fighting for life after being repeatedly stabbed in a terrifying attack as she walked home from shops in north-west London.
The pensioner suffered multiple stab wounds during the daylight assault in Harlesden and crawled more than 100 metres along the street in an effort to get home to her housebound husband.
Nothing was taken during the incident and detectives fear the woman may have been the victim of a random attack by a crazed knifeman.
Neighbours named the woman as Ann Driscoll. She is in critical condition in hospital with injuries to her neck and stomach.
Shocked residents said Mrs Driscoll was a carer for her ill husband and had been to the shops to buy groceries and was returning home when she was stabbed in Fortune Gate Road at around 3pm yesterday.
The woman crawled along the street covered in blood before locals came to her aid and called the emergency services. She was taken to hospital by air ambulance.
Police said today that it appeared that nothing was stolen from the woman and said they were keeping an open mind over the motive for the attack.
A source said: “This was a shocking and terrible attack which appears to be random. We can see no motive for this.”
Detectives are waiting to interview the pensioner to get a description of her assailant.
Neighbour Jashan Ahmed, 28, said: “Ann is a lovely old woman. She was incredibly kind and never harmed a soul. She has been looking after her husband lately because he's been ill and hasn't been able to leave the house.
“After she got stabbed, Ann begged a local kid to come and tell her husband what happened to her. Her husband is deaf so I think he only found out when police eventually managed to contact him. I just can't believe some coward could have stabbed such a harmless woman. It's a tragedy.”
A friend of Mrs Driscoll's, who gave her name as Bridgitte, said: “Ann's husband is very ill and he can't leave the house. She was out shopping for him when she was attacked. He would have been in the house waiting for her to come home but she never came back to him. It's just so sad. We are all incredibly shocked. I've known Ann for years. She is a lovely woman and I often saw her at church.”
Mrs B.S Kemal, 50, who lives below the Driscolls, said: “They were both very nice people. They have lived here for 30 years and have no other family. The whole community is in shock after what happened to Ann. All she was doing was looking after her husband and she got stabbed. It is very sad. I just hope she gets better.”
Police have made no arrests.
Anyone with information should call Brent Violent Crime Unit on 020 8733 3709 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Reader views (7)
Paula Joseph you are perfectly correct that why are these peoples aloud to roam the streets, they are wild animals not humans.Although there are lot of safety measures but still knife crime is there. Please stop it.
- Chishty, London
community care on the cheap for the state, but a terrible price for Ann and the public to suffer.
- Maggie, London UK
Welcome to Labours Britain where 82 year old pensioners are stabbed in dalylight.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London
I was driving down there yesterday, and thought why is there so much traffic... when i got to the corner I saw police tape and the tent i was shocked... I thought not again not another shooting, reading the news today and seeing what did actually happen is even more of a shock, why are these people aloud to roam the streets, they are wild animals not humans... please Ann pull through and have a fast and painless recovery, all the best x Paula
- Paula Joseph, West London
Absolutely scandalous that such an attack should happen in broad daylight.
Perhaps if there had been police patrolling the area on foot it would have precluded this dear lady having to crawl more than 100 metres along the street for help.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK
Sure it is very very shocking and terrible attack.Ann is a lovely old woman. She was incredibly kind and never harmed a soul. She has been looking after her husband lately because he's been ill and hasn't been able to leave the house. After she got stabbed, Ann begged a local kid to come and tell her husband what happened to her. Her husband is deaf. I just can't believe some coward could have stabbed such a harmless woman. It's a tragedy.” She is a lovely woman and I often saw her at church. Reading these tearful line l loose my temper. What's going on in peaceful city who is behind such terrifying attack.
- Chishty, London
Such such sad story. I would hazzard a guess we'll find out that this 'crazed, motiveless' knifeman was suffering from a very severe mental illness. I would urge everyone to campaign for better monitoring and more care for psychotically ill mental health patients - the recent changes to the Mental Health Act are devoloving responsibility to care in the community and less sectioning, less hospitalisation. 
- Real, London
