A semi-professional footballer met his love rival for a "fight" and stabbed him with what he says was a carpet gripper rod.
Dale Manson, 28, met up with the man, who is the father of his partner's children, after he was said to have become upset that they were calling him "Daddy Dale." The man offered Manson a fight, the court heard, and they met at Azalea Avenue in Seacroft.
Prosecutor Satpal Roth-Sharma told Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday Manson, of Magnolia Road in Seacroft, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm at trial, but acquitted of wounding in relation to the incident. He told how he had picked up a carpet gritter rod on the way to the scene after allegedly spotting the man with two others.
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The victim in the case described the weapon used against him on June 13, 2021, as a "dagger," the court heard. Ms Roth-Sharma said: "As heard during the trial, the defendant made his way to the location and had in his possession a sharp, bladed instrument which he used on a reckless basis.
"He didn't intend to cause serious injury. In terms of actual injury, he [the victim] suffered a one to two cm single stab wound. The defendant was interviewed on two occasions and denied being present or causing injury."
Michael Collins, mitigating, told the court Manson had become a crack cocaine addict at the age of 16 after a number of years in the care system in both Leeds and Ireland. The court was told he "almost died" following a dog attack when he was four-years-old. Mr Collins said following his parents' separation, Manson moved to Ireland to be with his father but found him dead in a pub toilet.
The barrister said Manson had turned his life around after meeting his partner three years ago. The woman is the ex-partner of the victim. He said Manson now works full time, plays semi-professional football on a Saturday and for a Sunday League club on a Sunday.
"When he [Manson] met her [his partner] he was not in a good place," Mr Collins said. "He is now in a place he could not have predicted when he was 16 and that comes from effort on his part. His life is now happily, quite dull. He goes to work, he goes to football on a weekend and when he's not he's looking after the children."
Mr Collins added that the victim "invited the fight" and told the court: "You will recall the evidence from the defendant who found himself in a very difficult place of 'If I don't go and meet him, he was threatening to come to my door. I don't want my children to witness the difficulties that will arise when he comes to my door.'"
His Honour Judge Simon Batiste said Manson "could have called the police or left the scene" and Mr Collins said: "You will be aware of the phrase 'snitches get stitches.'" He added Manson now accepts it was a "stupid thing to do."
The court also heard an oral report from a probation officer who said Manson is "very grateful the injury was not much more severe and had thought about how if it had been how he would explain that to the victim's two children." The officer said: "He is remorseful about his behaviour."
It was said Manson had 24 previous convictions on his record for offences including failure to comply with court orders.
Manson narrowly avoided a prison sentence as Judge Batiste instead handed him an 18-month sentence suspended for two years. He said at the time of the offence Manson was subjected to a community order. The judge outlined the case and said "it appears his [the victim's] children were calling you 'Daddy Dale.' It appears to have caused him a great deal of upset and there was texts that clearly involve you both winding each other up and there was an agreement to meet to fight about it."
The judge said he dismissed Manson's claim there were two other men at the scene, due to audio played at the trial. He added: "It appears that you have taken strides to turn your life around in the last two or three years."
Manson was ordered to undertake 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 70 hours of unpaid work. He was also made the subject of a curfew between the hours of 9pm and 6am for the next four months.
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