A man carried out a vicious meat cleaver attack on his sister's "potential partner" after he went to meet her in the early hours.
Michael Korben became enraged when he found out his sister was going to meet a man who he believed had an "unsavoury reputation" in the area. The 20-year-old then confronted the man at the meet-up before swinging a meat cleaver at him and slashing his wrist, resulting in the man sustaining severed tendons.
Korben, of Dent Close, Haswell, County Durham, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for possession of a blade and wounding with intent. He had pleaded guilty to the offences at a hearing earlier in the week.
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Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, said the victim had arranged to meet Korben's sister at 3am in an area of Haswell on December 30, last year. He said: "He walked to meet her and saw her near Front Street and called over to her. She was in the company of her brother (Korben) and another male. Words were shouted by the defendant, who had a meat cleaver in his hand."
After more words were exchanged, the victim walked away - but Korben followed behind. Mr Kerr said: "He turned around and saw the defendant running towards him shouting. He had the meat cleaver in his hand. The defendant swung it at (the victim) who put up his hand to protect himself and received injury." The court was told the man sustained a "deep wound" around 5cm in width which resulted in ligament damage and divided tendons. Korben then walked off.
Mr Kerr said that "no other explanation" was given by Korben as to why he attacked the man, adding: "The defendant took issue that the victim was meeting with his sister." Korben made no reply in police interview.
In a victim impact statement, the victim said the attack could have been life-threatening or resulted losing the use of his hand. He added he is "constantly in pain" and suffers flashbacks.
Sam Faulks, defending, said Korben was intoxicated at the time and that it was a "curious case" as it was the first major offence he had committed. He said: "He doesn't fall into the hardened criminal category and he's desperately sorry for what happened. His sister and her child were staying at the family home and he was sleeping on the sofa, aware his sister had received contact from the complainant and had gone to see him. It is the defendant's understanding that the complainant had an unsavoury reputation around Haswell. It was a lack of judgement, impaired by drink."
Sentencing Korben, Judge James Adkin said: "You were with another man and confronted the victim. He was trying to speak with your sister and you disapproved of him as a potential partner to your sister. You attacked him with a meat cleaver and impacted with his wrist which severed tendons that needed an operation to stitch them back together."
He added: "It was a grave injury and it's pure good fortune that you hit his wrist as it must have been aimed at his head or neck." Korben was jailed for 54 months.
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