Hero goes to aid of stab victim

A local charity worker sprang into action after a garage attendant was stabbed four times.

The incident happened at the service station at Jempsons supermarket in Peasmarsh last Thursday.

Simone Denman, who works for Rye charity ARRCC, was filling her car up at the time of the attack and rushed to help the 52 year old victim.

She stemmed the bleeding and spoke to the victim, reassuring him until paramedics arrived.

Simone told the Observer: “I trained with St John Ambulance as a teenager and it all came back to me.

“The scene was very confused at the time with people trying to call an ambulance.

“The man was sitting on the floor. I saw the knife and picked it up. It was a kitchen knife, the type used for vegetables.

“He was fortunate in a way as his elbow took the brunt of the attack. It could have been a lot worse.

“He was very shocked and trying not to pass out. I elevated his arm, kept pressure on the wound and managed to keep him talking. It felt that I was with him for around ten minutes, though in reality it was probably less.”

The victim was flown by air ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton for emergency treatment but has since been discharged and is expected to make a full recovery.

A 20 year old local man was arrested later that day.

Dominic Plomer Roberts, from Jempsons, said: “We would like to express our most sincere thanks to both Simone and our colleagues for the way that they dealt so competently with this situation.

“We also would like to say thank you to the emergency services, as well as to our customers for their support throughout.

“We are delighted that the victim has returned to work, are in good spirits, has received lots of ‘Well Wishes’ and is well on the way to making a full recovery.”

Simone Denman works as an Independent Living advisor for ARRCC.

The charity can now offer a quality tailored and affordable service to help people to maintain their independence in their own home and to support them to get out and about in the community.