Heroic passerby battled to save life of murder victim as he lay dying on Norton street

Jeff Rochford who tried to save the life of the man who died - and forensic officers in Hills Drive, Norton
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A passer-by rushed to the scene to try to save the life of a stabbing victim as he lay dying on an estate in Norton.

Jeff Rochford performed CPR on the 26-year-old victim at Hills Drive before paramedics arrived at the scene. The man, who has not yet been named by police, had suffered stab injuries and tragically died at the scene outside a property there just after 12am on Thursday.

Mr Rochford, 46, who lives at nearby Belle Vue Court, said he was at a cash machine on Norton Road at about midnight when he heard “high-pitched screaming”. He said: "I went over and he was laid on the floor. There were residents stood about."

He said he started CPR on the victim on realising he had been seriously injured. "I said, ‘has anyone rang an ambulance?’, and started doing CPR," he said. "He was still alive at that point."

As Mr Rochford told Teesside Live of the traumatic events, the victim's brother was passing by and came over to thank him for his efforts in trying to save his sibling's life. He told Teesside Live he was called by his sister who shared the tragic news at about 7.30am on Thursday.

He said they were all left in shock by their loss. The hostel in Newcastle where he lives paid for train tickets to get to Teesside, he said, and he was going to see his sister. He said it was the third tragedy for his family in recent years, and follows the deaths of his mother and another brother.

-Credit:Terry Blackburn
-Credit:Terry Blackburn

Cleveland Police were called to Hills Drive following the stabbing. A blue forensic tent was erected close to a property, as the residential area was taped off.

On Bowron Street, on the other side of Norton Road, a cordon was erected by police around what appeared to be a pouch with the name Klein Tools on it. A woman who lives off Norton Road said she had been told the bins would not be collected in the area on Thursday as at the time police had not yet found the weapon involved in the incident.

Other areas on neighbouring Tilery were also cordoned off on Thursday morning, including an area between Stewart Road and Headlam Court. At around lunchtime, scenes of crime officers could be seen at Headlam Court taking photos of the area.

Rahim Faqir Ahmed
Rahim Faqir Ahmed -Credit:Naomi Corrigan

Residents spoke of their shock at the incident. Rahim Faqir Ahmed, 33, who lives on Norton Road which runs in front of Hills Drive, saw police and paramedics behind his home at midnight.

"I came home at about 9pm and parked my car in the car park and nothing was happening at that point," he said. "I was watching TV and went to go to bed and saw the lights and ambulance and police and lots of people there.

"The ambulance was there quite a while and police stayed all night. It’s very sad what had happened. My wife is worried saying it’s dangerous here but it could happen anywhere."

A resident of Hills Drive said he does not believe the victim is from the street. "All I’ve heard is that one of the neighbours has a Ring doorbell and someone rang it last night saying someone had been stabbed," he added.

Cleveland Police issued a statement in the early hours of the morning, saying: "A murder investigation has been launched in Stockton following an incident shortly after 12am today, Thursday 19 September 2024. The incident happened outside a property in Hills Drive, when a 26-year-old man was stabbed and sadly died at the scene.

"Officers will remain at the scene as they work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact police by dialling 101, quoting reference number 180509.”

A murder investigation is underway at Hills Drive in Norton, Stockton
A murder investigation is underway at Hills Drive in Norton, Stockton -Credit:Terry Blackburn

The North East Ambulance Service has confirmed it was called to a private address. A spokesperson said: "We were called to an incident at a private address in the Norton Road area of Stockton shortly after midnight.

"We dispatched a specialist paramedic, a clinical team leader, a double crewed ambulance and one vehicle from our Hazardous Area Response Team."

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