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Extra stop and search powers after stabbings

Laura O'Neill
BBC News, Liverpool
Nikki Robertson/BBC A police van is parked in the foreground with police tape cordoning off a street behind it. Two officers stand by the cordon talking. Another police van can be seen in the distance at the other end of the cordon.Nikki Robertson/BBC
Two men were stabbed during "large-scale" disorder

Extra stop-and-search powers have been introduced in part of a city after two men were stabbed during "large-scale" disorder.

Officers were called to Granby Street in the Toxteth area of Liverpool at 21:00 GMT on Wednesday, Merseyside Police said.

A 24-year-old man was stabbed in the chest and a second man, 48, suffered a laceration to his face.

Detectives said a section 60 order, which gives officers enhanced powers to stop and search people suspected of carrying weapons or planning any criminality, will be in place in parts of Toxteth until just before 23:00 GMT.

Nikki Robertson/BBC Police tape can be seen in the foreground, tied across a residential street. Pink and purple bins line the side of the pavement. In the background there is a police van and a group of officers are standing in front of it. Nikki Robertson/BBC
A Section 60 order is in place which applies to males and females aged 14 to 60

Detectives are speaking to people in the area and watching CCTV to establish what happened, police said.

The 24-year-old victim is in a serious but stable condition in hospital, while the 48-year-old is described as stable.

The Section 60 order, which applies to males and females aged 14-60, covers within the boundaries of Upper Parliament Street, Lodge Lane, Sefton Park Road, Ullet Road, Park Road to the junction with Upper Parliament Street.

Det Insp Stuart McLoughlin said there would be a "highly visible" police presence "to reassure people in the Toxteth area following incidents of criminality and violence".

"We would ask anyone who was in the area of Granby Street who saw or heard anything or believes they captured something significant on their dashcam, mobile phone or doorbell camera to contact us as a matter of urgency," he said.

He urged people to "avoid speculating, particularly on social media" about what had happened and come forward if they had information.

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