Murder probe after man stabbed to death in back garden in Banbury
A murder investigation has been launched in Banbury after a man was stabbed to death in Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Police and ambulance crews were called to the back garden of a property in Howard Road at 11:46pm on Sunday night (13 February.)
A man aged in his forties, died at the scene.Two men, aged 24 and 19 have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody.
The incident in Banbury is the third stabbing that's taken place across the Thames Valley this weekend, after unrelated incidents in Wokingham and Tilehurst.
Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber said, "I think the events of last weekend will understandably be a real concern.
"I've spoken to the Chief Constable and other senior officers, and the response has been pretty good, and I have to pay tribute to the officers who've been leading the investigation.
"Even for a large force such as Thames Valley, the events of the last weekend are stretching to say the least, but suspects have been apprehended, and as far as we are aware, there is no further threat to the public.
Matthew Barber, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner
He added, "Naturally, I'm asking some searching questions of the force to make sure we have got plans in place.
"The reality is, that policing inevitably has to fight against individuals who are set on breaking the law. We can't prevent every crime, but we need to make sure that those resources are in the right place and that we are targeting them properly.
"I can't pretend that the awful incidents of the weekend didn't happen, so we need to redouble our efforts."
Howard Road was closed overnight while investigations took place, but reopened just after 8am on Monday morning.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Ailsa Kent, of Thames Valley, said: “Tragically, as a result of a stabbing overnight, a man has suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.“My thoughts and the thoughts of Thames Valley Police are with the victim’s family, who are being supported by officers.
She added, “At this early stage of our investigation, our belief is that the victim and offender are known to each other, and as such, we do not believe there to be a wider threat to the local community, and we have two men in custody.
“I am appealing to anybody who was in the area of Howard Road last night who believes that they may have witnessed this incident, or who has any information that can assist this investigation to please call Thames Valley Police on 101, quoting reference number 43220067804.
“You can also report online or call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Police say scene watches are in place in Howard Road and at Rees Court in Banbury, and will remain in place for several days.