A Kendal man has been handed an immediate prison sentence for a late night town centre stabbing which left his victim needing emergency surgery.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how a third party contacted Daniel West, now 23, late on November 3 last year, seeking to buy cocaine from him.
West agreed to meet the buyer but had insisted that another man not be present at the rendezvous.
But that man did go along, initially standing back as the exchange between West and the third party occurred.
The buyer later told how the man advanced towards West and was staring at him. “It must be the case that there is some history between the two men,” prosecutor Brendan Burke told the court. “We just don’t know what it is.”
West produced a knife and, according to the bystander, began waving it around.
“To which the complainant said ‘what are you going to do with that?’,” said Mr Burke. “What he did do was stab him in the chest.”
Police received a report from the ambulance service, just before midnight, that the man, in his mid-20s, had suffered serious injuries. He was taken to hospital with his condition described as non life-threatening.
Mr Burke told the court he suffered a hole in his diaphragm and two holes in his stomach, along with internal bruising. He required emergency surgery.
A knife, described by the victim as having a blade measuring nine to 12 inches long, was recovered after the attack.
West was prosecuted and, in court, admitted unlawfully and maliciously wounding the man on a formal written basis.
Defence barrister Richard Haworth said he took the knife with him, tucked into his waistband, while apprehensive about the meeting.
There was previous bad blood with the complainant, who had allegedly stolen money from him.
“Drug dealing — that’s at the heart of this,” said Mr Haworth, who added of the victim: “He came forward in a way that was threatening, causing the defendant to believe that he, too, was going to be attacked.”
West had told the man to leave the scene, initially showing the knife in his waistband, before delivering a single blow.
Sentencing judge, Recorder Julian Shaw, expressed disbelief that, despite nationwide campaigns aimed at dissuading people from carrying knives, young men were continuing to arm themselves with potentially fatal weapons.
The judge said: “What on earth did he think was going to happen? There but for the grace of God, he could be facing a murder charge.”
“He is contrite and realises how close he came,” said Mr Haworth, who spoke of West being ashamed and remorseful. “He did not think as to the consequences.”
Recorder Shaw told West, of Captain French Lane, Kendal: “That the man did not die and you, accordingly, stand a trial for murder, is more by luck than accident.
“It beggars belief that in this day and age, people arm themselves with weapons that are capable of causing death with a single blow.
“It is even more inconceivable that you decided to use it.”
After hearing all submissions, the judge imposed an 18-month jail term.
After sentencing, Detective Constable Ewan Breeze said: “Any attack with a knife has a strong possibility of ending in tragedy. In this case, West can thank the quick response of North West Ambulance Service and the expertise of hospital staff for not facing more serious charges and a significantly longer period of imprisonment.
“Carrying a knife with the intention of potentially using it to attack someone on the streets of Cumbria is indefensible.
“The police and courts treat such incidents extremely seriously and we hope this incident serves as a warning as to the consequences for anyone who thinks they can use a knife on the streets of Cumbria to carry out an assault.”
