A woman has suffered a serious injury after an attack at a Poundland store in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. The victim sustained a ‘single puncture wound to the head’ during the incident at the High Street branch on Friday, July 10, at approximately 5.35pm. She required hospital treatment but was discharged in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Arrest and police response
A man in his 20s was detained by police at the scene using PAVA (pepper) spray. He was taken to hospital and Staffordshire Police confirmed he ‘remains under police guard’. The force has not disclosed any potential charges at this stage.
Chief Inspector Cliff Goodwin, commander for the Newcastle-under-Lyme Local Policing Team, praised the actions of the public and staff. He said: “I would like to thank members of the public and store staff for their quick actions. Customers and staff cared for the victim whilst other staff members acted quickly to evacuate the store and secure the doors. Their brave actions ensured we could respond effectively and the victim received initial first aid before paramedics arrived.”
Witness appeal and community reassurance
Police have appealed for any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Increased numbers of neighbourhood officers will be present in the town centre on Saturday to provide reassurance and assist with gathering evidence. Anyone with details is asked to contact Staffordshire Police via the LiveChat function on its website, quoting incident number 794 of 10 July.
