Man held over death of woman fatally stabbed in barber's shop

Updated

A woman who was stabbed to death at a barber's shop has been named by police as 44-year-old Katrina O'Hara.

Police were called to Jock's Barbers in East Street, Blandford, Dorset, at 6.10pm, on Thursday January 7, and discovered Miss O'Hara who had suffered serious injuries in the incident and who died at the scene.

Her body was officially identified earlier today by her family who are being supported by specially-trained family liaison officers.

A Dorset Police spokesman said that a post mortem examination found that she died from two stab wounds to the chest in the incident which happened inside the barber's shop premises.

A 49-year-old local man, who sustained an injury to his wrist during the incident, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently being treated in hospital.

The police spokesman said that the arrested suspect was known to the victim.

Detective Inspector Richard Dixey, of Dorset Police's major crime investigation team, said: "I would like to thank the public, in particular the local residents in Blandford, for their assistance, support and co-operation during this ordeal.

"Many witnesses have come forward with information and we have been able to locate a potential weapon - a knife - near to the scene of the incident.

"Family liaison officers have updated Miss O'Hara's family with these developments and our thoughts are with them at this tragic and most difficult time."

The case has been referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), due to Dorset Police's "recent prior contact with people involved in this incident".

Advertisement