Douglas man jailed after stabbing with craft knife

28-year-old admits wounding with intent

Report by BBC Isle of Man:

A Douglas man who launched a "vicious and unprovoked" attack on another man in his own home, with a craft knife, has been jailed for five years.

Twenty-eight-year-old Craig Anderson pleaded guilty to wounding with intent during the drunken assault in Onchan on 23 July while he was on bail.

He was also sentenced for an assault in February, handling stolen goods and breaching a suspended sentence.

Deemster Simon Farrell told Anderson to "stop taking drugs and alcohol".

The court heard Anderson had been drinking with a female friend who claimed the victim had some of her clothes at his home.

The pair took a taxi to the property, entering through the back door, when Anderson shouted at the man "I am going to cut you up".

He swung the knife at the victim before running away from the scene with his friend.

The court heard the victim went to a police station that evening covered in blood, having suffered wounds that required stitches and left a scar on his neck.

Police arrested Anderson the next day, at a property on Christian Road, where they found the knife and the victim's mobile phone.

Blood from Anderson's jacket was confirmed to be the victim's, with text messages on his phone stating "I went to his gaff and stabbed him".

The prosecution said Anderson had a "history of repeated violence" with 23 previous convictions for 62 offences including affray, assault and threatening behaviour.

He pleaded guilty to handling the stolen phone, and was also found to be in breach of a two-year suspended sentence for driving offences committed in September 2020.

Anderson was also sentenced for causing actual-bodily harm, by breaking a man's nose in February, after he was found guilty by a jury.