Officers from Merseyside Police arrested a local man on 27 January 2026 in connection with a violent assault in Bootle. The arrest is the result of an investigation into a street attack on Stanley Road earlier that week which left a man in his 40s with serious head and facial injuries.
The incident happened on 22 January 2026 at about 17:45 GMT near The Strand shopping centre. Witnesses and local news reports said the victim was struck with an axe, suffering deep lacerations to his head and face.
Merseyside Police said detectives were treating the attack as targeted and that the suspect and the victim were known to each other. The force said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the assault and that there was no wider threat to the public.
The arrest follows concerns raised by business owners and the local community about safety on Stanley Road. Officers carried out five days of forensic work and CCTV analysis of local business cameras before identifying and arresting the suspect on 27 January.
The victim was taken to hospital by the North West Ambulance Service; police said he remained in stable condition. Local officers from the Sefton policing teams have increased patrols and remain in the area as enquiries continue.
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