A MEDICAL student is in serious condition at hospital after she was stabbed several times in her dormitory on Irvine Hall at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus.

The 21-year-old third-year aspiring doctor and Montserrat national was stabbed by her male attacker early yesterday morning.

Milford Jackson, the girl's 32-year-old boyfriend, of Swan Lane, Franklyn Town, has been slapped with wounding with intent charges arising from the incident.

According to students, Jackson, a management consultant, was told by the student that she wanted to end their relationship. He became incensed, took a knife from the nearby kitchen and stabbed her several times in the neck, back and chest.

The Gleaner learnt that students heard unusual noises coming from the girl's room and went to investigate but Jackson turned them away, saying "everything was OK."

However, soon afterwards, students heard screams coming from the room and had to force themselves in. On entering, they found that Jackson had escaped through a back door while the student was badly wounded.

She was taken to the nearby University Hospital of the West Indies where she underwent surgery.

Ransacked dormitory

The police said that when they arrived they found the dormitory ransacked and covered with blood. Detectives from the Half-Way Tree Criminal Investigation Branch and Mona Police Station arrested Jackson in a parking lot at the nearby University of Technology.

Dayton Campbell, president of the UWI Guild of Students, lauded those who came to the medical student's assistance. He said their actions were tremendous, but described the police and campus security response as "shabby."

He said that, even though the police were alerted almost immediately, it took them more than 45 minutes to arrive.

"There are certain aspects of security that need to be addressed. We, as a guild, would like to see not only beefed-up security but also the need to have the security personnel properly equipped," Mr. Campbell told The Gleaner.