Man in court for stabbing attack

Stuart McGhie, 42, of Balfour Street, armed himself with a kitchen knife after being told that a group of men were making threats outside his home.

Jonathon Dee, prosecuting, said there was a confrontation in McGhie’s driveway.

McGhie produced the knife in response to a threat that he was about to be killed. He then told the men to go away. One of them swung a punch and he responded by stabbing him in the chest. The victim suffered a deep cut which penetrated his left lung. He tried to make his way back to his own home but found himself in difficulties and was taken to hospital.

McGhie admitted unlawful wounding on 3rd December 2011. He was given a nine month jail sentence suspended for a year and ordered to perform 60 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Michael Heath , passing sentence, told McGhie “You didn’t deliberately go to stab him and the injury was not life-threatening.”

Michael Cranmer-Brown, defending, said: “He is a working, family man who wants to put all this behind him.”