Tributes to Hailsham stabbing victim (From The Argus)
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Tributes to Hailsham stabbing victim
2:00pm Tuesday 24th January 2012 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter
Police at the scene in Bramble Drive, Hailsham
Friends of stabbing victim Darren Croxton have paid tribute to the 25-year-old father who died on Monday.
Mr Croxton, was described by friends as “a Jack the lad” who was always polite.
He lived at The Diplocks, Hailsham, just minutes from where the attack took place and close to Bramble Drive.
Friends of Mr Croxton described him as always friendly.
Piers Stutt, 20, of Eastbourne, drank with him in The Terminus in Station Road, Hailsham. He said: “He was a bit of a Jack the lad.
“He was one of the Hailsham lads. He would always say hello.”
He said news of his friend’s death had spread quickly through Facebook, which is where he had heard about it.
Colleen Barrett, from The Grenadiers pub in High Street, Hailsham, added: “He used to drink in here. He was always friendly and polite – always nice to me.”
Seven teenage boys and three men were arrested after Mr Croxton was knifed in the groin during a pre-arranged fight in woodland.
A 13-year-old boy, two 14-year-olds, one 15-year-old and three 16-year-olds been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Three men, aged 20, 23 and 27, have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.
All ten are from Hailsham.
The stabbing, which took place on Sunday, January 22 at 4.30pm, is understood to have followed a smaller fight earlier in the day.
After being stabbed Mr Croxton, who has a seven-year-old daughter, stumbled bleeding into the street and was taken by paramedics to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, where he died yesterday (January 23) at 7.20am.
Anyone with information that could help police with the investigation call 101 quoting Operation Consul or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
