Man chased by group after filming fight spared jail over ‘self defence’ stabbing

A MAN who twice stabbed someone in Park Street after he was chased has avoided immediate jail.

Rodi Tuncel was so concerned when he saw men a group of men fighting that he filmed them on his phone, Bristol Crown Court heard.

But his attention caused them to chase after him, and in a tussle that followed he stabbed Harry Francis in the side and lower back.

He told police he acted in selfdefence.

Tuncel (pictured), 21, of St Aldams Drive in Pucklechurch, was originally charged with wounding.

But the Crown Prosecution left that charge to lie on file and accepted Tuncel’s guilty plea to simply possessing a blade.

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC handed him a four-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

He told Tuncel: “Three years ago someone very similar to you was in front of me in court.

“It was a similar incident at night. The person he stabbed died half an hour later after he bled out.

“You need to get clear in your mind that carrying a knife in public is against the law. It leads to people dying, even when somebody is under attack.”

Tuncel was told to undergo 20 days’ rehabilitation, pay £400 prosecution costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

Caighli Taylor, prosecuting via video link, said it was in November 2019 when an altercation broke out in Park Street, which didn’t involve Tuncel.

Miss Taylor said: “He was noticed to be filming on his mobile. Harry Francis and a group ran after him.

“There was a tussle, he was thrown against a parked car and punches were thrown at him. He retaliated by striking Mr Francis a number of times with a knife.

“He broke free and ran off and the knife was clearly in his right hand.”

The court heard Mr Francis suffered a 2.5cm long cut to his left flank, which needed three sutures, and a wound to his lower left back.

Mr Francis made an impact statement saying he was left with two obvious scars, had lost confidence in going out and had suffered from flashbacks and mood swings as a result.

Harry O’Sullivan, defending, said his client lost both his phone and blade in the struggle.

He told the court his client had mental health difficulties and had been the victim of another attack when he was in a car accident, filmed the occupants of the other vehicle and was punched and kicked.

Mr O’Sullivan said: “Considerable depression led him to the centre of Bristol and walk amongst the bustle and city alone and sober, regrettably carrying a knife.

“A group was clearly in drink, messing about and having a fight, he came across them and, acting as a good citizen, thought it necessary to record evidence for the police.

“The Crown accept a guilty plea to possession of a knife. It clearly indicates the danger of carrying a knife in the busy city centre in the middle of the night.

“He now realises the danger inherent in knife carrying. He says he will never carry a knife ever again.”