Man avoids jail over wounding his sister

A MAN who cut his sister’s arm with a knife during a row at their grandmother’s home in Ormsirk has narrowly avoided going to jail.

James Whitehead, 25, who admitted recklessly injuring her, was given 10 months’ imprisonment but it was suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to attend 30 days of rehabilitation activities.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Whitehead had a row with his sister, Jade, about their stepfather on December 20 last year at their grandmother’s house.

She hit him in the face with a dog’s ball-throwing toy and in return he slapped her to the back of the head and they both used foul language.

He then left the room to calm down.

While outside, he heard a conversation between Jade and their grandmother which led to him getting a knife and coming into the room, waving it at her.

Sentencing him, Judge Norman Wright said that it was accepted that Whitehead had not threatened his sister and had not intended using the weapon.

While he was recklessly waving it around, it cut his sister’s left forearm and thumb.

Judge Wright said: “Threats made in anger were against someone not present at the time and the victim had declined to make an impact statement.”

Whitehead, now of Avondale Road, Southport, who has previous convictions including assault, pleaded guilty to wounding.

Michael Davies, defending, said that Whitehead had taken the knife with him into the room just to scare his sister and had not intended to cause physical injury but she was injured when she lifted her arms.