Jail for spurned lover who stabbed bystander in row with ex-partner
A spurned lover who stabbed a bystander during a heated argument with his former partner has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Steve Jones was holding a door open for the woman when violence flared outside the flats where both lived, a judge heard. Her ex-sweetheart, Jordan Kerr, was outside the building in Lower Derry Street, Brierley Hill, when she returned in the early hours, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. He had gone there with a knife to damage her car, said prosecutor Mr Darron Whitehead.
Kerr, aged 29, had believed she was seeing another man following their break-up, added Mr Whitehead.
She had phoned ahead to ask neighbour Mr Jones to open the communal door to the flats because it did not have a buzzer, the court heard.
Mr Whitehead said: "Mr Jones was not involved in any way. He was merely standing there to let the woman into the building when the defendant walked up and punched him full in the mouth. The men then started fighting."
Kerr, who had been drinking heavily, told police: "He was getting the better of me and I stabbed him. I picked up the knife because I wanted to damage her car."
Mr Neil Skinner, defending, said: "He started the fight but was punched 30 times and retaliated with the knife. It was a totally unnecessary incident."
Mr Jones, who was also bitten on the face, told police: "When we stopped fighting we said 'what the hell was all that about?' and shook hands. Then I realised I had been stabbed."
There was a 1cm cut to the victim's abdomen and he was taken to hospital after the January 27 attack. Kerr, of Wiggin Street, Ladywood, admitted wounding with intent and was sent to jail by Judge Martin Walsh.
