Third festive season in a row ends in tragic murder for Milton Keynes

The festive season in MK has seen a tragic murder for the third year in succession.

This week a Boxing Day night out ended in disaster when two men were seriously injured during a fight outside the Atesh late night venue at Central Milton Keynes. Though police have not confirmed the injuries, it is believed they were stabbed,

They were both rushed to hospital and one of them sadly died yesterday (Tuesday). He was 28 years old and had been out celebrating his birthday.

The Major Crime Unit has now launched a murder investigation and is appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened shortly before 1.30am on Monday in the outside smoking area of the club.

Last year a similar murder investigation was launched following the death of 18-year-old Jay Fathers who was brutally stabbed at a New Year's party on Stantonbury in the early hours of January 1.

In October Callum Aylett, 21, was jailed for life for the murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years.

Meanwhile Jay's grieving family have launched a fundraising campaign to provide bleed control kits at public venues all over MK in a bid to save the lives of other stabbing victims. They have also begged people to stop carrying knives in Milton Keynes and elsewhere.

The previous year, on New Year's Eve 2019, a 22-year-old man called Jefferey Wiafe was stabbed to death in the street on a city estate.

Police were called to Carradine Crescent on Oxley Park in the middle of the afternoon and found Mr Wiafe with serious wounds, He died shortly after arriving at MK hospital.

Tyriq Alowooja, 21, from Milton Keynes, was found guilty of the "brutal and vicious murder" in August 2020 and given a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years.

Today police are asking for witnesses to the latest murder to contact them.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Dejan Avramovic said: “We are in the early stages of our enquiries, at this time no arrests have been made, however we are following a number of significant lines of enquiry.

“A scene watch remains at the scene of the assault and is likely to remain in place for some time. We are aware this incident may concern members of the public, as such they are likely to see an increased police presence while our enquiries are ongoing."

He added: “We are aware that this altercation started within the venue and continued outside to the smoking area. As such, it is likely that a number of people saw the incident and may have information that could assist us in our enquiries.

“Anyone with information should call Thames Valley Police on 101 or they can report online on our website, quoting reference 43210581126.

“If you do not wish to speak with the police but have information you can report 100% anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

The second victim, another man in his twenties, remains in a stable condition in hospital.