A man from the UK was hospitalized in Spain following an incident where he was allegedly stabbed with a screwdriver by a passerby after refusing to give him a cigarette. The victim, identified as Scottish, suffered a punctured lung during the attack that occurred in Plaza de Ayuntamiento in Valencia’s city center around 4 am on Saturday. A 45-year-old man, reported to have a criminal record, was apprehended at the scene in connection with the assault, as per local sources.

The assault unfolded when a woman’s cries were heard by nearby police officers. The woman, a citizen of Uruguay, was with the Scottish man when the attacker approached asking for a cigarette. Upon the victim’s refusal, the suspect purportedly stabbed him with a screwdriver.

The suspect, described by the newspaper Las Provincias as having “altered mental faculties,” was taken into custody. The victim was admitted to Doctor Peset University Hospital in Valencia, and his current medical status remains undisclosed.

In a separate incident, a man in his 20s was stabbed in the neck at Palma Airport in Mallorca in May. The victim, waiting for a friend at the airport, was attacked by an individual without a clear motive. The assault was sudden and brutal, where the attacker asked about the victim’s phone before stabbing him in the neck unexpectedly.

Following the attack, a suspect was swiftly arrested within the airport premises, while the victim received immediate medical attention from SAMU 061 ambulance services. After stabilizing the victim, he was transferred to a hospital for specialized care.

An informed source later mentioned that the assailant had no recollection of the attack. The suspect reportedly reacted violently after his phone was stolen, leading to the tragic event at the airport. The victim, an Argentinian residing on the island, had no prior acquaintance with the attacker who nearly took his life.