Teenagers injured in dance stab attack

A Christmas party for travelling families at a Staffordshire hotel ended with a stab injury, a court has heard.

A teenager was stabbed in the side with a swordstick and his schoolboy brother cut across the stomach with the same weapon.

Mr Eugene Hickey, prosecuting, said the violence erupted at the Roman Way Hotel in Cannock at the party attended by English and Irish travelling families. A group of five, some with knives, attacked 18-year-old Amos Clee, in a row over his brother Luke dancing with some girls.

The swordstick attacker, Thomas Maughan, stabbed Mr Clee in his left side, just missing his abdominal cavity. Maughan then approached Luke Clee, aged 15, and swung the weapon at him. The youngster was pushed out of the way, but there was a second blow which left him with a slight cut across his stomach.

Maughan, aged 19, of Fishponds Caravan Park, Featherstone, was sentenced to two years youth custody after admitting unlawfully wounding Mr Clee and assaulting his brother causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Paul Glenn told him: "You used an appalling weapon, a swordstick.

"Even though you hadn't taken that weapon, you weren't slow to use it, use it on licensed premises, inflicting a very significant injury and leaving a large permanent scar on your victim's left side. You went on to cut his 15-year-old brother with the weapon."

Mr Hickey said that prior to being stabbed, Mr Clee had also been hit over the head with a bottle by another unknown assailant.

Mr Clee was taken to Walsall Manor hospital with a one-inch entry and exit wound to his left side.

Mr Simon Kileen, defending, said that his client had no previous convictions for violence.