Stabbing victim praises 'amazing' Leeds General Infirmary staff for saving his life as attacker who knifed him through the heart is jailed for 15 years

Leighton Wood was told by a judge that it was only for the "quite brilliant skill and speed" of hospital staff that he was not being sentenced for murder.

Wood, 27, was found guilty of wounding with intent over the stabbing of Benjamin Kelly outside Mook Bar in Leeds city centre on August 30 last year

Mr Kelly was minutes away from going into cardiac arrest when he arrived to the hospital and underwent life-saving surgery.

Jurors at Wood's trial heard how he carried out the knife attack when Mr Kelly punched him as he feared the defendant was about to stab his friend.

Moments earlier Wood told Mr Kelly to "stay out" of an argument and that he was going to "stab his mate."

Mr Kelly was stabbed to the chest and abdomen during the disturbance which took place as Hirst's Yard was packed with Bank Holiday weekend revellers.

He did not at first realise that he had been stabbed but soon had difficulty breathing and felt faint.

He left the area in a taxi to go home with a friend but it became clear that Mr Kelly was in a perilous condition and the driver took a detour to the hospital.

The jury heard that Mr Kelly would have died had he not got to hospital when he did.

A victim statement from Mr Kelly was read out on his behalf at Leeds Crown Court by prosecutor Stephen Wood QC.

He said: "I never imagined my night out would change my life in such a drastic way.

"That night I nearly lost my life all because of a chance meeting with a complete stranger who chose to act in such a violent way towards me.

"Before the night out, if I am honest, I never thought about people being assaulted or carrying knives.

"I certainly never thought it would happen to me.

"Knowing that I have survived this injury, I feel so thankful and so, so lucky."

Mr Kelly thanked the members of the public who helped him when he collapsed in the courtyard outside the bar and praised the taxi driver for getting him to hospital so quickly.

He described doctors and staff at the LGI as "amazing", saying: "I am so pleased the police did not have to tell my parents that I had died.

"It is nothing more than a miracle that I survived the injuries that that man caused me.

"I do not remember much about being in the hospital but I remember the doctors telling me that I had been stabbed in the heart.

"I remember being terrified and thinking I was going to die."

Mr Kelly described how he had struggled to return to work as a tree surgeon as a result of his injuries and had been diagnosed as having post traumatic stress disorder.

But he said he was determined to be positive and is looking forward to his partner giving birth to their first child.

He said: "I am determined to live my life despite what happened.

"In a matter of seconds life can be changed forever.

"For some reason I managed to beat every one of the odds against me and survive."

Wood was found guilty of wounding with intent but not guilty of attempted murder after a trial which ended last week.

He pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon.

The court heard Wood, from the Chapeltown area of Leeds, was out of prison on licence at the time of the attack.

He has previous convictions for arson, supplying drugs and possessing a mobile phone in prison.

Wood's barrister, Richard Wright QC, said the attack had not been planned in advance.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Jacobs said: "You were responsible for stabbing Mr Kelly in two areas.

"But for the quite brilliant skill and speed of reaction by the staff at Leeds General Infirmary he would have died.

"The evidence indicated that he was only minutes away from a cardiac arrest and there wasn't enough time to take him to an operating theatre.

"It was really only a matter of chance, as far as you are concerned Mr Wood, that you are not facing a murder charge with a starting point of 25 years imprisonment.

"You can thank the medical staff at the hospital for that."

Detective Sergeant Andy Greatorex, of Leeds District CID, said: “Wood’s vicious knife-wielding attack on the victim could very easily have proved fatal had it not been for the life-saving emergency surgery he underwent at hospital.

“He was quickly identified by the public following a media appeal using CCTV images, and we are grateful to everyone who contacted us with information that led to his arrest.

“This disturbing incident clearly illustrates the potentially deadly consequences caused by violent offenders like Wood who are prepared to carry and use knives over the slightest disagreement in the night-time economy.

“We hope his conviction and the significant sentence he has received will help to reassure people and also serve as a deterrent to others, as we continue to work proactively alongside our partner agencies to target those who carry knives.”