Knife attack victim 'nearly died' when he was stabbed…

Knife attack victim 'nearly died' when he was stabbed close to a major artery during bust-up over £100 debt

A man could have died after being stabbed close to a major artery in his leg on the stairs of his flat in a row over a £100 debt, a court heard.

The victim, in his 50s, was at home with his partner in Roseway, Blackpool, when he heard banging from downstairs on August 28, 2022. He went to see what was happening and was confronted by Aaron Jones.

He found the 21-yeear-old had walked into the stairway through a broken door. Preston Crown Court heard the man walked down the stairs to speak to Jones. The younger man lunged towards him, punching him to his forearms.

Jones has now been sentenced to 12 months in custody for the attack, LancsLive reports.

As the victim called his partner, he noticed Jones was carrying a knife. The man's partner picked up a metal pole to fight Jones off, but Jones lunged towards the older man's stomach with the knife.

The man fell down the stairs and Jones stabbed his left thigh, through his jeans. As the attacker ran from the hallway, he dropped the knife, but stopped to pick it up again before riding away on his bike.

Jon Close, prosecuting, said: "What lay behind this remains somewhat opaque. The victim says he knew the defendant, but not well. He believes it may be to do with a payment of £100 he made to a third party but the reason is a matter of speculation."

The man suffered a 5cm long stab wound to his thigh which was treated with glue at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. The victim said: "The incident really scared me. I was worried for my own life and my partner's safety too.

"I wouldn't normally involve the police in my life but I felt I had to because of the seriousness of what happened. I haven't been stabbed before and it really shook me up. If the knife had gone through a major artery I could have been dead."

In a victim impact statement, the man said he no longer feels safe going out of the house and puts off visiting friends or going to the shop. Since the attack he has fitted an alarm and doorbell camera to his home, he added.

Jones, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to section 20 wounding when he appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced.

Defending, Julie Taylor said Jones had a troubled upbringing and had spent time in the care system before joining the armed forces. However, he suffered mental health problems and had to leave the army, finding himself homeless on the streets of Blackpool.

At the time of the offence, Jones believed the man owed him £100, and out of desperation, went to try and get it back. "He now realises it was an incredibly dangerous and stupid thing to do, to take a knife with him", Ms Taylor said.

Recorder Michael Maher, sentencing, said: "Fortunately the wound only required glue and closure strips. If you had hit his femoral artery, your petty argument over £100 could have been a whole lot worse. It has left a psychological mark on your victim's wellbeing."