Prison for knife attacker spotted in family photo
AMAN who knifed a dad and threatened to ‘cut’ his dog before being spotted running from police in the background of a family photo has been jailed.
Paul Norton said he had been unable to sleep and his children scared of returning to Reddish Vale Country Park after he was slashed by Christopher Anthony Howe on May 24 last year.
Mr Norton told Stockport’s Nightingale crown court he heard his Manchester terrier squeal before he found Howe holding her by the scruff of her neck.
He asked Howe ‘what the f*** he was doing,’ to which he replied: “I’m going to cut your dog and then I’ll cut your throat.”
Howe, of no fixed abode, dropped the dog after trained martial artist Mr
Norton kicked him in the chest, before the attacker slashed his arm and face with a knife.
Police later saw Howe in the park with a cannabis joint, and the 33-year-old ran from officers, even wading through a river to avoid them.
He was spotted by passer-by Hayley Gibson, who was taking a family photo in the park and captured Howe running from officers in the background.
She later saw a post on
Facebook about the incident, before submitting the photograph to Greater Manchester Police.
Mr Norton told court he believed Howe used a foldable Stanley knife to attack him, and during an identity parade last August he told police he was ‘90% sure’ Howe was the offender.
Howe had pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent, unlawful wounding and carrying a knife in the park on May 24 last year.
He claimed he was not the man who attacked Mr Norton and insisted he was only running away from police because he had been in possession of cannabis.
Jurors acquitted Howe of wounding with intent, but found him guilty of unlawful wounding and possession of a knife.
Prosecuting, Wayne Jackson read a personal statement from Mr Norton, in which he said his children were now too scared to go out on to the park – even though it is just 30 seconds from their house.
“I haven’t slept since the attack,” Mr Norton said in the statement. “The attack came out of nowhere which makes it more difficult to cope.”
Judge Recorder David O’Mahony said that Howe had 26 convictions for 46 offences, some of which were for violence, and he had a previous record for possession of a knife.
Defending, Neil Ronan said his client had been ‘living a normal life until he found himself in a prolonged period of homelessness.’
Howe refused to come out of his cell for the sentencing, so Recorder O’Mahony continued in his absence.
He said: “[Howe] is a homeless man and has been homeless for some time. He lives in a tent close to the park. He has, it would appear, some mental health difficulties.
“He has previously not engaged with those who might help him. He has now started to engage with them.
“This is a serious offence in a public park where families and others go to relax.”
Howe was sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession of a knife and six months for unlawful wounding, with the two sentences to run concurrently for a total of 18 months.
Following the verdict, senior crown prosecutor Anna Mackenzie said: “Howe carried out an unprovoked attack on a stranger in a busy public park. I would like to thank the witness for coming forward with the photo which helped us bring him to justice.
“I hope today’s result will allow the victim to move on with his life.”