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Beeston: Jail for jilted cabbie who stabbed rival
A taxi driver stabbed a love rival with a kitchen knife after exchanging a series of taunting text messages with his ex-girlfriend.
Brian Hussey, 45, had lavished the object of his affections, Nicola Moule, with love, money and gifts, a court heard, but she eventually left him for another cabbie, Christopher Pickersgill.
Hussey, a divorced dad, had become "infatuated" with the younger woman, Leeds Crown Court heard, and was "head over heels" in love with her.
However when the relationship broke down, he went into a spiral of debt and depression.
The court heard that on the day of the attack in Beeston, Leeds, in July this year, Miss Moule – with whom he had remained on speaking terms – had sent a text message to her ex asking him to pay back 100 which she had lent him.
He told her 'no' and they argued and taunted each other over SMS for a while until Hussey told her "send your ******* boyfriend for it".
Miss Moule and Mr Pickersgill had been drinking at the White Hart pub in Beeston with a friend so they arranged to meet Hussey nearby and walked over to the spot.
Hussey parked his car in a layby and walked towards Mr Pickersgill at the agreed meeting point.
The court heard he had "appeared to be calm" but when asked "what's this about?" he became angry and said "What are you doing with my bird?".
There was an altercation and suddenly, the court was told, Mr Pickersgill felt what he thought were two blows to his stomach.
However when he pulled away he realised he had been stabbed, and saw
Hussey with the knife in his hand.
Hussey then turned to Miss Moule, the court heard, and asked: "Do you want some?"
Prosecutor Philip Standfast said Mr Pickersgill had two stab wounds,
one of which punctured his bowel and caused serious internal bleeding. He was in hospital for six days.
Hussey was arrested a few days later and admitted stabbing his rival.
For Hussey, Jayne Dodson said he had fallen "head over heels in love" with Miss Moule.
"Unfortunately the relationship was not all that it seemed," she said.
He had been lavishing her with money and gifts, the court heard, spending what cash he had on her.
He had also reduced his taxi hours so he could spend more time with her.
His finances became so bad that he borrowed money from a loan shark and, eventually, 100 from Miss Moule.
The court heard he had been warned by fellow drivers at the firm he worked for that they suspected his girlfriend was cheating on him.
The pair argued and briefly broke up but the reunion did not last.
The court was told on the day of the stabbing, Hussey had drunk several pints of beer.
The text message taunts had been the final straw and he had snapped.
He admitted a charge of wounding with intent and was jailed for five years and also banned from driving for a year after admitting drink driving.
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Friday 18 May 2012
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