A man has been sentenced after stabbing another man who had been following him for a "considerable period of time and distance" through Nottingham city centre and St Ann's. It comes after an incident on April 3, 2019 when a man was stabbed on Hedderley Walk in St Ann's.
On May 12, 2022 at Nottingham Crown Court, Elijah Rattigan, 21, of Beechdale Road, Aspley, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and unlawful wounding following the incident. Rattigan was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years for the offences at the same court on Tuesday (August 9).
Judge Rafferty, who delivered the sentence, concluded that the man who was stabbed had been following Rattigan, despite Rattigan's attempts to tell him to go away and walking away from him. Judge Rafferty said: "This excessive act of self defence saw you draw the knife to scare him away, but then there was a coming together and the man was grievously injured."
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Mr Malone, prosecuting, said that in 2018, the man who had been stabbed was involved in an altercation with Rattigan's brother, when he was punched in the face. Mr Malone said Rattigan then went looking for him and went to the house of the man who was stabbed; he refused to come outside after being called out to do so.
On April 5, 2019, the man who was stabbed recognised Rattigan on Milton Street at its junction with Parliament Street in Nottingham city centre. He went over to Rattigan and demanded that he apologised for what happened previously.
Rattigan tried to get away from him, going into a gym and walking across the city centre and St Ann's, but was followed by the man as Rattigan refused to apologise. An acquaintance of the man then joined, trying to convince Rattigan to apologise, but he continued to walk away.
Rattigan was followed into St Ann's and the incident took place on Hedderley Walk. He drew a large hunting knife from a bag he was carrying, trying to scare the other man away, but the two men then fought and hit the ground, and the man following Rattigan was stabbed in his left leg just above his knee.
Rattigan had blood around his neck, and Mr Malone said when police arrived, they thought he was the one who was attacked at first. The man who was attacked had a finger lacerated too, and said in a statement read out in court: "I'm glad Rattigan has pleaded guilty.
"It still affects me three years on, as I have permanent damage to my left leg, if my leg is touched it causes an unpleasant and uncomfortable sensation and I don't wear shorts even in hot weather because of the scar."
"I'm not as physically active as I once was, not being able to do what I enjoy, and it's affected my physically and mentally. The trauma will stay on my mind forever."
Rattigan has one previous conviction, for robbery with a knife in December 2017. The explanation he gave to carrying a knife to his probation officer was that he is a "young black man, dealing with problems that young black men have".
When delivering the sentencing, Judge Rafferty said: "This could have been a murder charge if things had played out differently." He took into account Rattigan's mental health issues, saying that Rattigan had had a psychotic episode earlier in 2022 that resulted in hospital admission.
Judge Rafferty said: "You were followed for a considerable time and distance across town, and tried to shake him off and get away from him. But when a knife is drawn, you never know what is going to happen next, and the courts have said it before and we're going to keep on saying it - knives can ruin lives.
"You've kept out of trouble since this incident occurred, yet you've continued to struggle with mental health issues. People speak well of you and you mean a great deal to your family and those close to you, you are capable of great kindness.
"But when the demons come, you begin to get aggressive and find yourself in a bad place. Don't take a chance again, you might not get another."
Rattigan was sentenced to two years for unlawful wounding and 12 months for possession of a weapon, with the sentences to run concurrently. He was also sentenced to a two year community order, along with a mental health treatment requirement for the same amount of time.
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