Bus passenger jailed for slashing man with a knife on Leeds service
Judge rejects notion that victim had been racist
A passenger on a Leeds bus needed surgery after being slashed with a knife when an argument broke out.
Michael Charles, who is known for carrying blades, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court after the judge described the latest incident as “worrying”.
The victim had boarded the Chapel Allerton service on Town Street at around 6pm on February 22 last year.
But as he got on, a man stepped off and brushed passed his shoulder before staring at the victim.
Looks and glances were exchanged and the victim raised his middle finger at the staring man.
He was then tapped on the shoulder by 45-year-old Charles, who was also on the bus, who accused the man of racially abusing the other.
The victim denied it, but Charles pulled the knife from a glasses case and waved it in the man’s face.
The victim lifted his hand up to protect himself and he was slashed across his index finger.
Charles then got off the bus and ran off. The man later required surgery on his finger after being left with nerve damage.
Less than two weeks later, on March 4 last year, police were contacted that a man had a knife at the Merrion Centre in Leeds.
When they arrived, they found Charles, who fitted the description given, heading towards The Headrow, prosecutor Oishee Dey said.
He was searched and had a knife in his glasses case. It was later forensically tested and blood from the bus victim was still on the blade.
During his police interview, Charles accepted having the knife, but would not answer questions on the bus incident.
He has previous convictions for carrying a knife and was last before the courts for sexual assault.
Charles, of Clark Avenue, Cross Green, admitted GBH without intent for the latest incidents, and two counts of possessing a bladed article in public.
Mitigating, Erin Kitson-Parker acknowledged there had been an element of “minimisation” by Charles in his probation report, but said his sentence could be suspended.
She said Charles had not purposely tried to stab the victim on the bus, but the man had moved his hand. However, she said that it had been Charles’ fault.
Judge Simon Batiste told Charles about his tendency to carry weapons: “You clearly have not learned your lesson.”
He also rejected there had been any racist comment made by the bus victim.
He told Charles that custody was “inevitable”, handing him a sentence of 30 months.