Hastings: Woman who was stabbed describes attack

Thomas Waeling, 18, chased down the 50-year-old while she was walking home with shopping from a Lidl supermarket.

Waeling, who was 17 at the time, wore a scarf over his face as he carried out the “brutal” attack.

Sarah Taylor needed to be airlifted to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton due to her injuries including a punctured lung.

The police cordon in Bohemia Road, Hastings (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

A video of her police interview two weeks after the attack was played at Lewes Crown Court during the trial yesterday.

She said: “I went for a jog and then went to Lidl. I was in two minds if I would go shopping as I was tired. I had two heavy shopping bags. I saw what looked like a youth, a boy standing in front of a car.

“I just noticed him get a knife out of his coat. It was the biggest knife I have ever seen, I had to double take.

“I did not want him to know that I had seen the knife. It looked like a chef knife, all I could see was the blade, I did not think I have ever seen a knife of that size before.

“I thought it could be a kid messing around then I noticed his face was covered and then I panicked. I thought I did not want to draw attention to myself to show that I am female. I put my hat up and did not look at him. I thought if I keep walking maybe he will go away.

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“He put the knife back in his coat. I went through a patch of trees. As I have gone under a grassy bit I heard a voice behind me. He said something to get my attention, the tone was aggressive as if I had annoyed him. He hurled himself at me and started stabbing me.

“It happened so quickly I could not process the information. I had two shopping bags, I froze. I remember him stabbing me, I was holding the bags and then have dropped them.

“I remember thinking ‘oh s***’. He was hacking away at my arm. I could see the blood and could not feel anything, then he stabbed me in the chest and I collapsed. I was lying there looking up.

“I shouted help and some women came over but the pain started to take over.”

Waeling had his head down and was rubbing his eyes as the witness video was played. The attack happened near Bohemia Road in Hastings on May 15.

“I get very nervous when I see young males out and about. I get nervous of men generally. He looked quite skinny, a skinny youth", she said.

The jury were shown drawings by the woman of the knife. They were also shown the actual knife used in the attack.

Waeling has admitted causing grievous bodily harm and having a knife but denies attempted murder.

His trial continues this morning.