Leyland affray over child insults led to man's hand slashed

David Hughes, 46, formerly of King Street, Lostock Hall, Preston, was brandishing an eight inch kitchen knife when his ex and the victim arrived to speak to him on February 9, 2020.

Preston Crown Court heard Hughes and his partner had been separated for 18 months but had still lived together at an address in Leyland.

Prosecuting, Charles Brown said the woman had started to see another man and on February 8, 2020, after a day out, they received a number of phone calls from the defendant in which he had been "aggressive and abusive".

He added: " He abused not only the complainant but also his children.

"They decided they would go to the house she and the defendant shared."

Hughes was leaning over the wall waving an eight inch kitchen knife over the wall and told them they were not getting into the house

The woman let herself in with her keys.

In the dining room Hughes remained aggressive and was still wielding the knife.

He smashed a glass on the kitchen worktop and moved towards the man.

Instinctively he put up his hand to defend himself and the knife penetrated his hand, causing him to bleed heavily.

He later needed six stitches.

Hughes admitted affray.

In a victim impact statement the man said at first he had found his behaviour almost humourous rather than frightening, although he was upset at the comments about his children.

But he suffers scarring and pain, and regularly thinks about what might have happened and "how much more serious it could have been".

Imposing a nine month jail sentence suspended for 12 months, Judge Beverly Lunt said: "Even though you never intended to injure anyone and they thought your behaviour was laughable, if you pick up a knife somebody can get hurt and that is what happened here."

She ordered him to pay £400 compensation to the victim.

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