Young dad stabbed mate at cocaine-fuelled party

A YOUNG dad has avoided jail after stabbing his friend in the neck at a cocaine-fuelled house party in Milnsbridge.

Semi-professional footballer Joshua Stanley, 23, could not remember why he stabbed Jake Maguire with a kitchen knife after an argument last year.

The two men had been at a friend’s house party in Armitage Road that lasted all night and well into the morning of July 30, 2016.

Barrister Michael Smith, prosecuting, said: “About midday the complainant and the defendant got into an argument in the kitchen - it is not known what about.

“There had been animosity between them the month before but it appears that whatever this argument was about, it was trivial.

“Trivial until the defendant picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Jake Maguire twice to the neck. He started bleeding immediately and ran outside.

“The emergency services were called and he was taken to hospital by air ambulance.”

The victim spent three days in hospital, but there was no major damage caused by the knife which was 2.5ins long.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Stanley later told his then girlfriend, who he has a daughter with, that he had stabbed Mr Maguire but he did not know why, he had just ‘lost his temper.’

However, Mr Maguire would not give a victim personal statement and refused to give evidence against his friend in court.

Stanley, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to one count of wounding at a hearing last month.

Addressing the defendant, Recorder Michael Wheeler said: “You did not take a knife to the scene - it was not pre-meditated.

“It seems you are as bemused as everyone else is.

“You are a hard-working man in a stable relationship and you have shown remorse.”

He added: “I am sure that on a significant number of days over the last year-and-a-half since this happened you have reflected in the fact that you could have killed him. You could have severed one of his arteries and he could have bled to death.”

Sentencing Stanley to 16 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, the judge described the circumstances as ‘truly bizarre.’

Stanley was also ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, pay £500 compensation to Mr Maguire and pay the statutory surcharge.

Stanley, of Langsett Road in Wakefield, was described in court as a ‘semi-professional footballer’ and is expecting another child with his fiancé next year. ,-5* - # (08$*# 7 $* *(22$0 2(!-32(/3$ 7 + (* 13$ &*(22$0 2(% 1'(-, "- 3) 0(4 2$ . 0)(,& %-0 "312-+$01 4 (* !*$ .*$ 1$ 31$ ! 61 ,#