A senior police officer is assuring residents that Croydon is still a safe place to live in the wake of two violent deaths over the weekend.

A stabbing in Selsdon and a shooting in New Addington on Saturday and Sunday respectively became the fourth and fifth violent deaths in the borough since August.

Mitchell White, aged 20, of Monks Hill, Selsdon, died in the early hours of Saturday when he suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck at a party.

Police were called to the address in Abbey Road, Selsdon, at around 12.30am, where a party had been taking place.

Jimmy Davis, 20, of no fixed abode, appeared in custody before Croydon Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday) charged with Mr White's murder.

On Sunday night 21-year-old dad-of-one Jimmy Hewett, of Lodge Lane, New Addington, died from abdominal puncture wounds. Police believe he sustained his injuries during an incident in nearby King Henry's Drive at around 11.45pm on Sunday. Three men are still being questioned by police.

Superintendent Nick Jupp said: "This is a very unusual situation for the borough. I realise, when you look at the facts, that it looks like the borough has seen a rise in these kinds of violent deaths, but these are sporadic, isolated and unique incidents and are not in any way linked or connected.

"A murder in itself is very unusual and each case is so unique that you cannot class them in the same category as other crimes such as robberies or burglaries.

"There are 330,000 people that live in the borough and many more come here to work and to enjoy our night-time economy. The vast majority are unaffected by crime.

"There have been, recently, a series of violent incidents in the borough but this does not mean it is about to worsen. Unfortunately, these sorts of crimes live up to people's stereotypes and expectations of Croydon and do nothing for the fear of crime. But this does not mean that the borough is unsafe.

"In the last year there has been a 26 per cent reduction in robberies, a 21 per cent drop in gun crime. There have been reductions across the board. But it's very difficult to convince people when they hear of incidents like this."

The latest incidents join three others like them. On August 15, 69-year-old Atam Parkash Katiyal was killed at his home in Pollards Hill South, Norbury. His son Sharan Katiyal, 41, of Pollards Hill South, has been charged with his manslaughter.

On September 5, Philip Whyte died from stab wounds in Bygrove. Nicola Ann Gale, 20, of Bygrove, has been charged with his murder.

And a fortnight ago Lalji Joshi was found dead following an assault in Queen's Gardens, Croydon, which left a second man John Fennessy fighting for his life. Kenneth Alan Smith, 20, has been charged with Lalji Joshi's murder and John Fennessy's attempted murder.

Anyone with information about either Mitchell White's death or Jimmy Hewett's should contact police 020 8721 4005 or Crimestoppers, free and anonymously, on 0800 555 111.