Perth town centre saw a staggering level of violence at the weekend.
Police recorded an unusually high number of violent incidents including a 15-year-old girl rushed to hospital with stomach injuries following an assault and a man believed to have been stabbed in a quiet residential area.
Another male suffered a serious head injury in Canal Street and yet another had to be treated for injuries following a separate assault in the same street.
The teenage girl was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary and later to Ninewells, Dundee, with an abdominal injury after being assaulted in St Paul’s Square, near the junction with South Methven Street, between 12.45am and 1am on Sunday. Detectives said they are following a “positive line of inquiry”.
Around 11.40pm, a 22-year-old man was seriously assaulted in the Muircroft Drive area and was taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital where he received stitches to his shoulder. It is believed a blade of some type was used in the attack.
A 20-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident.
Police were twice called to Canal Street in the early hours of Sunday.
At 12.25am, a 38-year-old man was assaulted and taken by ambulance to Perth Royal Infirmary but was later released.
They were back two hours later after a 24-year-old man suffered a serious head injury which saw him rushed to Ninewells.
A 29-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the first incident and a 34-year-old arrested and charged for the second.
Both are expected to appear in Perth Sheriff Court this week.
The series of serious incidents had begun at 11.15pm on Saturday when officers were called to Scott Street to deal with a disturbance.
A 19-year-old man was arrested and charged with a racial breach of the peace, assault, and being in possession of an offensive weapon and a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with assault and a breach of the peace.
There was also a disturbance in Newhouse Road, with local people believing a resident had been stabbed, although this was not confirmed by police.
Chief Superintendent Craig Suttie, the western divisional commander, said, “It is important to stress that these types of incidents are very rare in Perth and Kinross.
“Whilst one incident involving a weapon is one too many, serious and violent crime is down considerably in the area with nine out of 10 crimes successfully detected.
“We will continue to work with our community safety partners and the licensed trade to target those who think that it is acceptable to carry a knife or any weapon.”