Knifeman slashed dad in front of his terrified kids
ARMED WITH 8-INCH BLADE, HE ACCUSED VICTIM OF HAVING AFFAIR WITH HIS WIFE
A RAGING knifeman slashed a dad with a kitchen knife in front of his ‘terrified’ children after accusing him of having an affair with his wife.
Sci Zhen Xie drove to the man’s house in Salford after wrongly believing that his wife had been unfaithful.
She was friends with the victim, a widower, and had been helping his three children with some school work because he had difficulties with English. Xie’s children and the victim’s kids would sometimes play together.
But one Tuesday evening Xie, 42, turned up at his home and knocked on his door while he was preparing food for his family, Manchester Crown Court heard. “Where’s my wife?,” Xie asked in Mandarin.
He told Xie that he had no idea, but was then followed into the house. He realised Xie was armed with an eightinch kitchen knife, as he accused him of having an affair with his wife.
Xie then struck out at him with the knife, to his hand and arm, then slashed him to his chest. His clothes took most of the force from the blow to the chest, but Xie connected with his hand and arm and caused deep wounds.
The pair grappled and Xie dropped the knife, but was able to pick it up again and rearm himself.
Xie ran off as the victim’s children screamed when they saw their father being attacked, prosecutor Ben Lawrence said. Blood was ‘pouring’ from his arm and he was rushed to hospital, after 5pm on February 15.
Police attended and one of his children asked an officer to ‘help my Dad.’ They were said to be in a ‘panicked’ state.’ Xie was arrested about an hour later and empty packaging for a knife set was found in his car.
“I am totally in shock at this incident,” the victim later said. “I have been left with really bad injuries to my arm and my hand. I have been accused of having an affair, this is totally untrue.”
The victim, a warehouse worker, still suffers problems with his hand injury and has a ‘weak grip’ which affects his job.
Defending, Steven Sullivan said Xie acted on ‘impulse’ while in an ‘emotional’ state. Xie, himself a dad-of-three, has suffered mental health problems and has vowed to get his ‘life back on track.’
Sentencing Xie to 18 months in jail, Judge Stephen Davies told him: “On that day, believing your wife was having an affair with the victim, you drove to his house armed with a kitchen knife. That was in the presence of his three children, who were understandably terrified.
“It may have been their obvious upset which caused you to stop and run away.”
Xie, of Lower Broughton Road, Salford, pleaded guilty to wounding and possessing a bladed article.