Man stabbed 14 times during frenzied drugs dispute after Leeds West Indian Carnival
Argument in which both men sought violence resulted in multiple stab wounds to victim.
A thug who stabbed a stricken man up to 14 times during a dispute over drugs has been jailed.
Frederick Arthur and the victim were both eager to brawl, Leeds Crown Court heard, but when Arthurs got the better of him, he then launched at him with the blade.
Arthur was found guilty after a trial of GBH without intent. He was cleared of the more serious charge of GBH with intent.
The incident erupted on Roseville Road in the early hours of August 26 last year after the West Indian Carnival, at which they had been attending.
The pair then “fell out”, with Arthur later claiming he could not remember the reason.
Judge Robin Mairs said he had “little doubt” the fight was over drugs after a quantity of heroin was later found.
The men both threw bottles at each other, with Arthur striking the man in the head and fracturing his skull.
But when the man was on the floor, Arthur stabbed him between 12 and 14 times.
Judge Mairs told him: “You were both aggressive and had the opportunity to walk away. You were intent on assaulting each other.”
He rejected Arthur’s claims that he had found the knife in the street and said: “You had armed yourself with a knife that evening and quite prepared to use it.
“When he fell, you approached him with the knife.”
The court heard that hundreds of pounds worth of heroin were found at Arthur’s home address. He had admitted possessing Class A drugs.
Arthur, of Darfield Avenue, Harehills, appeared in court from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
He was jailed for 32 months.