Man pleads guilty after a stabbing in Melton

A Melton man who attacked an acquaintance with a knife has pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court.

The court heard how 24-year-old Ben Richards, of Robin Crescent, had been harassing the victim for money.

The 34-year-old victim had previously lent Richards money and was bombarded with telephone calls, text messages and Facebook messages asking for more money.

During the early hours of Saturday 12 January, following a number of calls, the victim decided to visit Richards to ask him to stop calling him.

The victim visited a property in Meynell Close, Melton, and as he approached the stairwell to the flats he was confronted by Richards and stabbed in the chest with a knife. The victim managed to stumble out of the building in to the street where a passer-by found him and called the ambulance service.

The victim was treated at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham for three stab wounds to his chest, a collapsed lung and a blood clot.

Yesterday (Tuesday 28 May) Richards was due to stand trial but pleaded guilty to Section 20 wounding.

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the wounding offence and one month for an unrelated criminal damage offence, to be served concurrently. Richards was also sentenced to eight months in prison for breaching a Suspended Sentence Order (SSO), this sentence is to be served consecutively.

Detective Constable Richard Callus was the investigating officer. He said:  “This was a serious assault which could have had far dire consequences. 

“Richards armed himself with a knife and used it striking the victim not just once but three times.

“We are pleased that he has pleaded guilty and we hope this outcome will help the victim move on with his life and put the events of that night behind him.

“Possession of a knife in a public place will not be tolerated, no matter what the circumstances. The #LivesnotKnives campaign is specifically aimed at educating the public about the dangers of such actions and the consequences.”