A house party host stabbed a teenager who turned up to fight him after being told he wasn't welcome.
The 19-year-old took umbrage at Connor Arthur's refusal to allow him to attend his home and they argued on social media. The victim then barged into the party with friends and ended up scrapping with Arthur outside.
It was only when the brawling was brought to an end that the victim realised he had three knife wounds to his body. He said the injuries have affected his sleeping, his football playing and have left him anxious.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim and Arthur were aware of each other but were not close acquaintances. On September 26 2020 they were both out drinking with their respective groups of friends.
The victim became aware Arthur was having a house party and contacted him on Facebook to ask if he could join the party but it was made clear he was not welcome. The communication ended with the teen saying "so you want a scrap then".
He then messaged someone else who was a the party saying "on way, stay out of the way". He arrived with friends and went into Arthur's home, uninvited, prompting him to shout at them aggressively.
Arthur then armed himself with a knife and went with the others out into the street. Nathan Morley, prosecuting, said: "Outside in the street there was a fight. The victim and a friend had the defendant up against shutters at one point and were punching him
"The victim describes there was a scuffle and he and the defendant were throwing punches. A witness pulled one of the males away and the fight stopped. It was then discovered the victim had three stab wounds to his body."
In a victim impact statement, he said he was left with PTSD following the assault and suffered nightmares and problems sleeping. He said: "I would doze off then wake up sweating.
"I've become self-conscious about the scarring to the left side of my body. Before the assault I played regular competitive football but it's only since December last year that I've started playing football again and I had to ease myself back into training. I have to drink every five to ten minutes due to the injury to my upper body as my breathing has been affected.."
He added: "I now feel my life is getting better, however I still have problems sleeping and I suffer from anxiety. For example, if someone looks at me I look to the ground or at my phone."
Arthur, 21, of Marshall Wallis Road, South Shields, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. Judge Amanda Rippon said she would take a "wholly exceptional course" by not sending him immediately to prison, imposing two years suspended for two years with rehabilitation.
The judge said: "Young men who arm themselves with knives, whether it's to imagine defending themselves or otherwise, risk causing very very serious harm. Far too many young men kill other young men or seriously injure them or find themselves disarmed then their own knife used against them to cause serious harm.
"Far too many parents of young men are left bereaved by aggressive, in-drink behaviour by teenagers and young men. The reality is, when someone picks up a knife and injures someone, the courts will lock them up because knives are so dangerous.
"But Mr Arthur was 19 at the time, this was two years ago, he has never committed another criminal offence before or since and the circumstances of this offence are such that the fight was taken to him. While the victim didn't anticipate he would end the night with three wounds - and he is fortunate they were treated with stitches - he went to the house for a fight and told people to keep out of the way.
"Mr Arthur is a young man with complex mental health problems and disorders, like ADHD and dyspraxia and he also attended A&E himself."
Turning to Arthur, Judge Rippon added: "Young men who commit this offence usually go to prison straight away. I'm not going to do that. I'm taking what is plainly an exceptional course, a wholly exceptional course and a merciful one."
The judge said while Arthur had, to an extent, invited the fight in messages, she took the view that was "bravado". But she added: "You should not take a knife to a fist fight. When you take a knife to someone's body you risk really seriously hurting them if not killing them. He will be scarred for the rest of his life.
"However you are a vulnerable young man and would be extremely vulnerable in a criminally sophisticated prison population."
When he was interviewed by police, Arthur said someone else had given the victim his address and said he told him he was "coming to smash your face in". He said the teen and others then barged in and he picked a knife up in fear and to scare them off and that he didn't intend to cause the injuries.
The court heard Arthur suffered concussion and possible broken ribs in the incident and has also been diagnosed with PTSD. John Crawford, defending, said: "He has a high level of remorse for his actions. He is genuinely sorry for what happened and the injuries that have been inflicted."
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