Man stabbed neighbour after drinking ‘colossal amount of alcohol’

Colin Hoggard, 24, was jailed for six years and eight months yesterday after pleading guilty 
to wounding with intent over the incident at Cumberland Court, Beeston, Leeds, on June 1 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard Hoggard drank a “colossal” amount of alcohol before carrying out the attack on victim Nathan Carpenter, 30.

Mehran Nassiri, prosecuting, said the two men were friends and had spent the day drinking. Trouble flared later that evening after Mr Carpenter went to Hoggard’s flat and accused his flatmate, David Wright, of sleeping with his girlfriend.

Hoggard then went to Mr Carpenter’s flat and punched him before Mr Wright intervened and restrained his friend. Mr Nassiri said Hoggard then returned with a knife which he hid in his tracksuit bottoms.

The prosecutor said: “He held the knife to the complainant’s throat whilst shouting but then backed off a few paces.

“The complainant stood up and the defendant immediately stabbed him in the stomach.”

He added: “The defendant let go of the knife and the complainant pulled the knife out of his stomach and dropped it on the floor.

“The defendant picked up the knife and stabbed the complainant again, this time to his left arm. This followed two further stabbings to his stomach and chest in quick succession.”

Hoggard ran off after the attack but called police from a telephone box a short time later to hand himself in. Mr Carpenter suffered puncture wounds to his chest but avoided major injury. Simon Batiste, mitigating, said Hoggard had a history of alcohol abuse

Judge Scott Wolstenholme ordered Hoggard to serve an extended licence period of five years upon his release from prison.