Maybe we should all start carrying knives.Maybe we should start carrying guns.Ridiculous? yes but how about "I fear for my families & my own safety";Would it stand up in court ? Probably not for an honest man but it would for somebody with previous convictions for violence.

Mike Burkinshaw, Vilagarcía de Arousa, Galicia/Spain

Bring back hanging! What so we can hang innocent men like Timothy Evans be murdered by the state! The poor mans child and wife were killed by Christie but he was hung instead.If you trust our Judical system that much you are all very sad!! Even one mistake is one too many.

Simon, Bristol, England

The thug that did this should be facing the death penalty. Britain doesn't need rubbish like him nor should the taxpayer be burdened with paying for his incarceration.

Chris, Derby,

We desperately need more police. Sadly, we don't have the money for that anymore.

Peter, Liverpool, UK

This isn't going to stop while we have an inept goverment!

Dave T, Harlow, UK

This is a very large part of the reason I decided to emigrate.

Dan, Wuhu, China

Risks a heavy sentence, yes. Deserves a heavy sentence, absolutely. Won't get one, though, will he? That would cost money and Govt Ministers don't have to live where the rest of us live.

Bernie Kells, Oxford, UK

Bring back capital punishment - this is getting out of control!!! How many stabbings in London this year?? 40? We live in a country that is on a criminal landslide and it must be stopped.

Anthony, Armagh , N.Ireland

So what sentence did the assailant receive? Why is that bit left out if we are supposed to take seriously the police message about heavy sentences for such assaults?

Elizabeth, Slough,

The answer I think has to be longer sentences with extreme hard labour & suffering. If we don't get tough it isn't going to go away. We have got to get real and rid ourselves of this softly softly approach we use in respect of this type of crime.
Feeling sorry & excusing this scum does not work.

Paul Ralph, Hull,

If people want to play with knives, give them 4 years of National Service. A stint in Afganistan after 3 years of hard military training should give them something to think about.

Richard, Harrogate, UK

Frankly, anyone who is arrested and convicted needs to be identified to the Public.
The whole concept of people not being identified because of 'legal reasons' is political correctness gone mad.

Nicky Binder, London,

bring back hanging , it would stop this overnight !!!

SUE, Bournemouth,

its still not safe to walk the streets of our cities. The police have become a mere decoration. On the occasions when they do walk the beat they are little more than glorified litter attendants.

Forget respect for the uniform , i want gangs to fear the police.

frank, swindon, uk

Totally agree with Phil, Cumbria. Until fitting punishments are meted out, horrific crimes like this will continue. I'm not one of the 'hang em' brigade, but all too often we read of these morons getting let out after just a handful of years behind bars - minimum tariffs need to rise sharply.

Karl, Wirral, UK

The x-rays do not actually show any bone damage to the skull. From a purely medical point of view it is a flesh wound which would have appeared to bleed heavily but is probably not as life threatening as the report suggests. This is not to minimise the seriousness of the incident.

Richie, Nottingham,

looks like art to me. damien hirst could sell these x rays for millions

tim, london, uk

When will the people who are in charge of this country begin to punish those who behave like this. There will always be people who do evil things for greed or even some kind of sick pleasure, but the sooner they are locked up forever, the sooner other potential idiots might decide it's not worth it.

Phil, Cumbria, UK

so basically someone plunges a knife into a persons' head at twenty to five in the afternoon and the police find him a few days later because he dropped his mobile phone.

WELCOME TO ENGLAND!

Gregoir, exeter, United Kingdom

Anyone thinking of carrying a knife couldn't care less about these pictures. You think any sort of mental process involving cause and effect, harm or the preciousness of life goes through their tiny, dangerous brains?

"Risking" a heavy jail sentence means "might get away with it".

No risk; jail.

Laura Roberts, London, UK