A CLOSE friend of a pregnant woman who was stabbed 10 times in front of her children has spoken exclusively about the man believed to have carried out the horrific attack.

Emma Paris (pictured), who lives in Stag Hill, South Ham, Basingstoke, said Magdalena Stapleton's boyfriend, named locally as Neil Small, was arrested on Friday, September 16, for allegedly throwing a bottle at her and threatening to stab her in the stomach.

Miss Paris, 21, told The Gazette: "I spoke to Magdalena on Monday and she told me all about it. The police were called and Neil was arrested.

"He was kept in by police over the weekend and then released on Monday. He phoned her later that afternoon and said he wanted to come and get his stuff.

"I spoke to her after that and said it was silly to let him come back and get his things.

"I asked her if she wanted me to come round to the house while he was there, but she said she would be okay, so I said I would ring her later.

"But when I did ring later, there was no answer, which was strange because she always answers her phone."

Miss Paris, who has known Miss Stapleton for about eight years and has been a very close friend for the past three, found out about the stabbing when Mr Small's cousin phoned her on Monday, September 18.

She has spoken of her anger, claiming that if the police hadn't released Mr Small without any sort of supervision, the attack would not have happened.

"I think it's disgusting that no one escorted him to Magdalena's house when they knew exactly what had happened on Friday. If they had escorted him, then this probably wouldn't have happened."

In response, Julie Jones, media and communications manager for the North and East Operational Command Unit, said: "We are investigating all aspects of this inquiry, including any past history and the full circumstances leading up to the incident."

Miss Paris, who has two children of her own, said she has visited her friend in hospital and that she is getting better, but is still "really ill".

She said she didn't really know Miss Stapleton's boyfriend but added that she would never have expected him to "do anything like that".

She said Mr Small - who many people knew only as Neil - was about 35 years old and used to stay at Miss Stapleton's house, but she believed he was from the Reading area.