Police Hunt Woman In Stab Death

A young woman has become the latest victim in a spate of knife killings in the capital.

Dee Willis, 28, was stabbed in the upper body during the attack on Tuesday night at around 11pm in Bellenden Road, close to Peckham High Street in southeast London.

Ms Willis was rushed to Kings College Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

It is reported that Ms Willis recently suffered a miscarriage and lost her twins.

Police say that they are looking for a female suspect, believed to have acted alone.

The controller of a nearby taxi firm, who did not wish to be named, said a group of young women were seen near the scene of the crime before or at the time of the incident.

It is believed that Ms Willis lived in a flat with her boyfriend in Nunhead Crescent, Peckham. Local residents have described her as "quiet".

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has denied that knife crime is a growing concern in London.

Ms Smith told GMTV: "Knife crime, although we are very worried about it, it is not more serious that it has been previously."

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has announced this morning that "more than 1,200 people have been arrested" in what he says in as "unprecedented crackdown on knife crime in London since May".

Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police Commissioner has promised that the Met will "do everything in its power" to "stop these murders continuing".

It is reported that the incident occurred close to where schoolboy Damilola Taylor was killed eight years ago.

The latest fatality comes just days after 16-year-old Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death in Holloway on Sunday.

See: Teenagers Released On Bail After Stab Death

(DS)