Prominent doctor James Leitch recovering well after being stabbed

The Armidale community was left in a state of shock when, at around 10:10pm on Sunday, June 25, four masked assailants forced entry into a Garibaldi Street address and confronted Dr Leitch in the hallway, where he was stabbed twice.

The offenders fled with two phones, a wallet and keys.

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Dr Leitch was treated at the scene by police and ambulance paramedics before being rushed to Armidale Hospital for emergency treatment. He was transferred to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital the following day.

"I'm virtually back to normal now, I'm back at work and have no major issues at all, well, my haemoglobin is still slightly low," Dr Leitch said.

Dr Leitch is a prominent cardiologist at John Hunter Hospital.

He was born and raised in Armidale and was back in the city at the time of the attack after his mother Rosemary Leitch, had died late last year aged 92.

She was Armidale's first, and only, female mayor. Mrs Leitch served as mayor of Armidale city from 1988 to 1993 after being recognised for her talent, work ethic and integrity following five years as a councillor.

She held active roles in the Armidale Community, including with PLC school, and the University of New England and was a great supporter of local groups, especially the Armidale youth orchestra.

The Leitch family home at Garibaldi Street was purchased in 1961 and Dr Leitch has fond memories of life growing up in Armidale and of his childhood home.

"Christmas time at home in Armidale was always wonderful," he said.

"Every year we could expect 15-20 people for a Christmas lunch or dinner, which continued on after my mother had a stroke, about seven years ago. That to me was incredibly special.

"Mum was a passionate gardener, the gardens at Garibaldi Street were absolutely magnificent all year round. She loved the outdoors, people and also the Armidale community."

He was back at the family home, tending to his mother's estate, when the attack occurred.

"When I was growing up the house was always unlocked," Dr Leitch said.

"There was one occasion when a professional burglar stole some of mum's jewellery but on the whole, there was very little crime.

"Sadly, I feel that in some ways the town now is almost an inversion of what it used to be like, in the sense that people now seem far more concerned for their personal safety and feeling secure in their own homes in regional areas than they are in major cities."

Speaking about Armidale's current state of crime, Dr Leitch is measured and philosophical.

"These are extraordinarily complicated societal issues we are discussing and certainly not unique to the New England region," he said.

"Other regional and rural areas such as Toowoomba, Townsville, Dubbo and Tamworth are unfortunately experiencing similar escalations in crime and seemingly, juvenile crimes.

"It doesn't seem as though this is something that can be solved simply through increased policing or more intense policing. However, if the issues are not addressed, and high levels of crime continue, it will have a major impact on community life.

"All I can say is that I'm glad my mother did not have to hear about this, it would have been devastating for her. She had a strong sense of community and an ethic of giving," he said.

Investigators have renewed their appeal for anyone who may have information about this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or http://crimestoppers.com.au.

Information is treated with strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

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