31-year-old stabbed in neck outside Barkingside Magistrates’ Court and second man injured

An air ambulance and paramedics were called at 1.13pm to reports of the stabbing.

The air ambulance landed in Barkingside recreation ground in Cranbrook Road.

The man has been taken to an east London hospital in an ambulance with the doctor from the air ambulance in attendance.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, according to the police.

Eyewitnesses and the police originally thought the man was aged around 17 years old.

A second man has been taken to a separate east London hospital with a head injury sustained in the same altercation.

His injuries are also not thought to be life-threatening, but there are no further details about him at this stage.

A knife has been recovered at the scene and will now be forensically examined.

A Met Police spokesman said: “At this very early stage it is thought the two men became involved in an altercation with another group in Barkingside High Street and were subsequently attacked outside the court in Cranbrook Road by a male from this other group.”

No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing.

The court was evacuated and reopened at around 2.20pm.

A Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service spokesman said: “Following an incident the court was temporarily evacuated at the request of the police.

“The court has since re-opened for business.”.