Trail of blood left after drug-money feud triggered frenzied Leeds city-centre stab attack
Victim suffered lacerated liver in vicious attack
A man left a trail of blood after being repeatedly stabbed over a drug debt in Leeds city centre.
The victim was attacked by Jason Blackburn under the railway arch on Brick Street, off York Street.
Blackburn was handed a lengthy jail sentence this week after admitting a charge of GBH with intent.
Leeds Crown Court was told that the victim was with a group of friends when they came across Blackburn at around 10am on January 2.
An argument broke out with 35-year-old Blackburn then lunging at him with a knife. He held onto the man’s coat as he thrust at him repeatedly with the knife.
Blackburn then fled the scene.
The victim then went into the nearby St Anne’s Resource Centre, leaving a blood trail as he went.
He had five or six stab wounds to his stomach and arms. It was later found that his liver had been lacerated by the blade.
The incident was caught on CCTV and played to the court.
Blackburn, of Barnbrough Street, Burley, was arrested and gave a no-comment interview. He was held on remand and appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds.
He has more than 108 offences on his record, including seven for violence and many for theft.
Mitigating, Michael Greenhalgh said Blackburn’s addiction to Class A drugs was at the heart of the incident and he claimed the victim owed him money.
He added: “He accepts he behaved very poorly. He recognises he needs to move on from the lifestyle he has been living.”
He said Blackburn is a father of three who has not seen his children because of his drug use.
The judge, Recorder Helen Chapman described it as a “frenzied attack”.
She jailed him for four years and four months.