‘I DIDN’T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO LIVE OR DIE’
Man speaks of recovery after being put in a headlock and stabbed in the chest at party
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28-YEAR-OLD has been locked up for nearly 10 years for stabbing a man in the chest.
Dylan Willis admitted wounding Cohen McCann after a house party in Cwmbran on Thursday, June 15.
The injuries, which included damage to his right lung, left Mr McCann feeling “very lucky to be alive”, and saw him hospitalised for a number of weeks.
Cardiff Crown Court was told that the victim and defendant attended the house gathering, where a number of young people were enjoying a drink together.
However, at about 8.30pm the mood “took a turn for the worse” and male members of the group began fighting.
The court heard how some members of the group left the address.
Willis found them walking around the side of the house, causing him to become “agitated”.
The court heard how Willis - of North Road, Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran - threw a wheelie bin at the men before they threw it back towards him.
Becoming more irate, Willis then ran to his ex-girlfriend’s house nearby, before he grabbed a knife and ran back to the scene.
As he waved the knife towards the men in a “slashing” motion, they “jumped out of the way”, the court was told.
During the commotion, Willis held Mr McCann in a headlock and stabbed him in the chest before running away.
Mr McCann quickly lost consciousness while neighbours called for the emergency services.
At the time, his injuries were considered to be “life-threatening”.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe read out Mr McCann’s victim impact statement on his behalf.
Mr McCann, who was 25 at the time, said: “On June 15 I was stabbed by Dylan Willis on the right side of my chest.
“I was admitted to the [University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff] after I was stabbed. All I remember was coming around in my bed to see my family all crying.
“I also had a drain in my chest. I was confused and devastated. I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know if I was going to live or die.”
He recalled being rushed into resus and being put on a drip, before being moved onto the major trauma ward, where he says he became “severely anxious and depressed”.
He said he was at the hospital for six days before being transferred to Llandough Hospital so he could have treatment. He was there for another week.
Throughout his time at hospital, Mr McCann said he was incredibly lonely because of short visitation hours.
When he was discharged, he recalled being given blood thinning medication to minimise his risk of blood clots.
A few days later, Mr McCann described how he had experienced shortness of breath and sharp pain in his lung.
He said his “lung had perforated” and he was sent back to hospital for another five days.
He spent the next two weeks “sofa bound”, unable to shower or dress himself without the help of his mother.
Mr Cobbe added: “He felt very lucky to be alive.”
He told the court how Willis has six previous convictions, which included violent offences.
Caroline Rees, for Willis, described the defendant as living a life at the time that “lacked structure”.
“He hopes to live a less chaotic life once his prison sentence is complete,” she added.
She asked Judge Tracey LloydClarke to take into account that the defendant is “very remorseful”.
She said Willis’ “most powerful” piece of mitigation is his timely guilty plea.
Although he did not enter a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity, he entered it early enough that a trial could be avoided.
Ms Rees said Willis is taking courses to “try and better himself” and he “accepts responsibility and shows he wants to change”.
She noted that he has stopped drinking alcohol.
Addressing Willis, Judge LloydClarke said: “You are someone who is such a risk that you could cause serious physical and psychological harm.”
She said the minimum sentence she could impose on Willis would be one of six years and nine months, however she felt an extended sentence was necessary to “protect the public”.
She sentenced Willis to a total of nine years and nine months in prison for wounding with intent.
He was also sentenced to six months each for possessing a knife and assault by actual bodily harm. These will run concurrently. also