Nurse's battle to save Durrington stab victim's life

Kate Arnold said she found victim Jamie Standing lying in a "massive pool of his own blood", with the bar's owner using a credit card to plug one of the wounds.

The 28-year-old community nurse said she feared the man would die after he was stabbed at around 11pm on Friday, March 27 in the Angel bar in East Street, Shoreham.

Kate grabbed tea towels to stem the bleeding from the four deep knife wounds in his back.

Struggling to breathe

Kate, from Portslade, said: "I have never seen so much blood.

"At first we thought it was just two stab wounds, but then we found two more.

"At one point, he was really struggling to breathe, and I had to keep applying pressure to the wounds and reassuring him it would be ok.

"It occurred to me he could die '“ the colour was going from his face, he was almost grey and he started to lose consciousness. It was pretty scary."

Chaotic atmosphere

Kate had been in the bar celebrating her sister-in-law's birthday, and said she did not realise what had happened until she saw Jamie, a 32-year-old former Durrington High School pupil, on the floor.

Despite having been a nurse for six years, Kate said she had never experienced anything like this.

She said the atmosphere following the stabbing was "dramatic" and "quite chaotic" and she was proud of how she coped under pressure.

"I didn't even stop to think about it. Adrenaline kicked in, and I just used my training to help him," she said.

"It was only when I got home later that what had happened really sunk in. I just hope he makes a full recovery."

Stable condition

Mr Standing was rushed to Worthing Hospital where it was found he had a collapsed lung and liver damage.

He had emergency surgery and is described as being in a stable condition.

On Monday, March 30 22-year-old Kostadin Strezov appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court charged with grievous bodily harm.

He did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody until June 25.

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