Stabbed after helping his son

A DAD was stabbed by a youth after stopping him from beating up his son.

But he was left fuming when police let off the thug with a caution.

David Coy, 33, was alerted by a neighbour when son Grant, 11, was attacked by the 15-year-old near his home in Banbury Road, Walthamstow.

Mr Coy ran from his house to confront the boy, and admitted giving him "a push" and told him to leave Grant alone.

But ten minutes later the boy returned with a 12-inch serrated kitchen knife and stabbed Mr Coy in the back.

The shocked dad-of-four said: "Luckily it got caught up in my shirt and didn't cause much damage.

"It scraped my back and there's a six-inch cut. I feel very fortunate."

Police were called and officers arrested the boy, but he was later let off with a caution.

Mr Coy said he is "disgusted" by what he called the lenient treatment of the boy by police.

"They said he had no previous convictions and had mental health problems, so they just cautioned him. I think if he's got mental health problems then something should be done. What was he doing with a kitchen knife on him? Where did he get it?

"He's stabbed me and got away with it. I wanted him charged," said Mr Coy, an unemployed lorry driver.

The incident on Sunday, July 28, left Mr Coy shaken.

He said: "I didn't even feel it at first when the knife cut me.

"Someone noticed I was bleeding. It could have been much worse, but I still felt really shocked."

A police spokesman confirmed the incident and said: "The boy has not come to our notice before and so our policy is to give them a warning.

"If they commit further crimes a different course of action will be taken."

13:38 Thursday 8th August 2002

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