Man jailed for six years over stabbing

Adam Marsden is today starting a six year jail term after he knifed the victim, a long-standing friend of his who had tried to calm him down at the address on St Helier’s Road, South Shore.

Initially, the friend thought he had been punched. But Preston Crown Court heard that he started to bleed profusely and began fitting.

He suffered a stab wound which penetrated three to four centimetres and bruised a lung.

His attacker then walked into Blackpool police station in his bloodstained clothing, to give himself up.

Marsden, 30, of St Helier’s Road, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and a common assault on a teenage girl.

The incident happened on November 12 at the defendant’s home.

Paul Brookwell, prosecuting, said several people were at the flat at the time. One of them was the victim, Marsden’s friend of 16 years.

When the defendant returned to the flat that afternoon he appeared to be under the influence of drugs, probably a “legal high”. He was allowed to “sleep it off” on a chair in the lounge.

But then Marsden had an argument with the teenage girl who was one of those present. He lost his temper and almost pulled a door off its hinges when he left the room.

His friend went to calm him down. Marsden was said to have grabbed the girl by the neck. His friend then punched him in the face and was trying to calm the defendant down.

Mr Brookwell told the court: “He put his arms around the defendant, to give his friend a hug. (The victim) then thought he had been punched to the left hand side of his back.

“But the defendant had stabbed him with a kitchen knife. The wound caused him to bleed profusely and also to start fitting.”

The victim also suffered financially as he had to take a considerable time off work. He occasionally feels a numbness to the left side of his chest, the court heard.

Marsden went himself to Blackpool police station. His bloodstained clothing was removed from him.

The injury caused was four centimetres wide and three to four centimetres deep. A considerable amount of blood had been lost in the lounge of the flat.

The knife, which had a blade around eight inches long, was recovered from the lounge. Marsden had 27 previous offences on his record which included violence.

Jonathan Lally, defending, said the present case was his client’s most serious offending to date.

Marsden had had an altercation with the girl. He did not accept grabbing her round the neck, but did accept pushing her.

Mr Lally told the court: “He says he was punched by (the victim) to the nose.

“There was then a scuffle and while that was going on the defendant managed to pick up a knife and stab him.

“The offence was not pre-meditated. The defendant later went voluntarily to the police station.”