Thug randomly stabs stranger in horror attack outside…

Thug randomly stabs stranger in horror attack outside takeaway

A thug randomly stabbed a complete stranger and robbed him of his £9,000 Rolex watch as he waited for a takeaway with his fiancé.

Farren Chevelleau, 23, was looking at the man's fiancé as she waited in a car parked outside. The man asked if he [Chevelleau] was alright, before another man, James Lagan, squared up to him.

Lagan, 33, who had never met either men, was 'spoiling for a fight,' Manchester Crown Court heard. He then launched at the man, who the M.E.N has not named, punching him numerous times and knocking him to the ground.

During the fracas, Chevelleau removed a knife from his waistband and stabbed the man to the stomach. He then forcefully grabbed his Rolex, which was given to him by his fiancé's family, before she managed to pull him away. Chevelleau fled, with the watch in hand.

As the man slowly got to his feet, a paramedic, who was in the takeaway at the time, quickly called for assistance. Lagan, who bizarrely helped the man up, then told him: "You can’t come these ends, these are my ends."

In CCTV footage played to the court, the man who was in a takeaway on Oxford Road in Manchester city centre, was set upon suddenly by Lagan, who had put down a can of beer before immediately striking him in the face. After a number of punches the man fell to the floor and within seconds was stabbed by Chevelleau.

Chevelleau then grabbed hold of the watch on his left hand and dragged it from him.

"The victim suffered a three to five centimetre deep wound to his lower abdomen, fractures to his left wrist, a black eye and a cut to his lip," prosecutor Joshua Bowker said.

In a statement, the man said that he was 'gutted' about his watch being stolen as it was a wedding gift from his fiance’s family and said he felt 'embarrassed' it had been taken from him.

He also said he was in a lot of pain from the stab wound, adding that he was worried about ‘people walking about with knives who were prepared to use them’.

When Lagan was arrested and interviewed after being identified on CCTV, he attacked two officers by grabbing at their crotch. Lagan was said to have 17 previous convictions for 35 offences, and Chevelleau was said to have 15 previous convictions for 39 offences.

Mitigating for Lagan, Rebecca Filletti said her client had neurological issues but was seeking help from a psychologist. "He was at a funeral that day. He believed he was being demeaned and looked down on," she said.

"We are not saying the complainant was acting in that manner, but my client is somebody who is more sensitive to situations like this."

Addressing Lagan, Recorder Andrew Long said: "You picked a fight with a man who was minding his own business, ordering a takeaway with his fiancé."

For Chevelleau, Jon Close said he’d had a difficult childhood and suffered from mental health issues. He added that Chevelleau also had symptoms of PTSD after being attacked in 2020.

Recorder Long told him: "I have no idea what possessed you to get involved with Lagan when he started attacking him. You were carrying a knife and immediately pulled it out and started stabbing him.

"You then took advantage of the situation, forcefully pulling off and stealing the valuable watch he was wearing."

Chevelleau, of Abbey Close, Stretford, was jailed for four years for offences of robbery, wounding and possession of an offensive weapon.

Lagan, of Linden Avenue, Swinton, was handed a 12 month community order, and ordered to complete a Thinking Skills Programme, and 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements. He admitted assaulting an emergency worker and assault occasioning actual bodily harm of the man. Lagan had also attacked two other police officers in a separate incident in March last year.

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