A teenage boy who was the victim of an attempted stabbing in Royal Wootton Bassett has spoken out about the horror of watching his friend get stabbed.

Police officers were first called to the New Road area of Royal Wootton Bassett at around 9.30pm on June 3, 2024, after reports of a stabbing.

One teenage boy, aged 17, had been stabbed in the back with a knife, leaving him with lacerations described as 'incredibly deep' and requiring seven stitches.

A second teenage boy had the knife swung at him but managed to get away.

Three youth males, all aged between 16-17 who attended the same school as the victims, were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.

In a personal victim statement written by the second victim, he describes the 'horror' and aftermath of witnessing the stabbing.

“The town we live in was safe and quiet. It doesn’t feel like that now," it read.

The stabbing took place on New Road in Royal Wootton BassettThe stabbing took place on New Road in Royal Wootton Bassett (Image: Google Maps) The teenage boy (who cannot be named for legal reasons) added: "It became difficult for me to walk outside and take public transport by myself and I was constantly worried about my family.

"If I heard a noise around the house I had to go investigate what it was out of fear.

“My parents are afraid for my safety and take myself and my siblings everywhere in the car so we don’t walk alone.

“The attack took place during my GCSE exams. It was a struggle not to feel safe in my own home and county.

“These people put a knife through my friend’s back. If they had been more agile with their knives we wouldn’t be here today.”

DC Chris Hemns of Wiltshire Police has emphasised: “There can be no place for incidents like this in Wiltshire.

“Even one incident involving a knife is too many, and I’d urge anybody who feels the need to carry a knife, whether to proactively use it or for their own protection, to please consider otherwise.

“We are continuing to undertake a significant amount of work on the streets to get to the root of knife crime."

The 17-year-old boy who carried out the stabbing has now been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to the stabbing and attempted stabbing at Swindon Magistrate's Court.

The other defendants, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, have been given referral orders and a one-year restraining order