News & Sport for Harwich & Manningtree, Leisure and local info From Harwich & Manningtree Standard

Victim of knife attack describes ordeal

From the archive, first published Wednesday 12th Sep 2007.

The victim of a car theft said she was "beyond petrified" as she was attacked with a knife in broad daylight.

Janice Harrison of Ashby Road, Witham, suffered a terrifying ordeal on Monday as a man stabbed her with a 10ins knife and drove off in her car.

Still visibly shaken two days after the attack, Mrs Harrison, said she repeated over and over again "don't hurt me just take the car and don't hurt me," as her attacker fought to steal the car.

Brave Mrs Harrison, 29, got in her purple Ford Fiesta after returning from work and immediately wound the window down as it was a hot day.

She said that her attacker appeared out of nowhere and shouted at her to get out of the car but she instinctively screamed and pushed him away as he leaned into the car.

"If somebody had said to me how would you react to that kind of thing, I would have said 'no way would I fight back'," said Mrs Harrison.

Mrs Harrison said the man, who is said to be in his late 20s to early 30s, produced what looked like a carving knife and was aggressive and in a panic.

The attack happened in the Albert Road car park, off the town's Cut Throat Lane, at about 4.30pm.

Mrs Harrison, who is a hairdresser in the City, described her car as a metallic grape coloured purple and said it was low on petrol so people may have noticed it stall.

Her husband, Richard, said: "We want him found. We can't have someone like this on the streets, if he is willing to do it in broad daylight he could do it at any time."

The attacker is described as about 5ft 10ins tall and of medium build. He had fair wavy hair and was wearing a blue T-shirt and a jacket.

Anyone with information about the attack or the location of the car is asked to contact Witham police on 01376 551212.