Man stabbed friend and threatened to slit his throat

Daniel Stott, 39, went to Alan Edwards’ house on November 14 last year after hearing his daughter had been in Mr Edwards’ home some three days earlier and had become intoxicated.

Preston Crown Court heard how Stott, who was at the time serving a suspended sentence for an assault he committed in 2019, turned up on Mr Edwards’ doorstep armed with a sharp weapon.

Prosecuting, Tom Farr said: “He stabbed Mr Edwards in the stomach with the weapon.

"Fortunately, it was not a deep wound as he was backing away from the defendant at the time.

Daniel Stott (Image: Lancs Police)

“He then made verbal threats saying he was going to stab him again before following Mr Edwards into the living room.

“He began punching him to the face but then ended the assault abruptly and left.

“However, he returned around two to three minutes later and started to punch him again in the face.

“He then received a call which stopped him from attacking Mr Edwards and could be heard telling a female ‘I have stabbed him’.

“Stott then told Edwards he could phone an ambulance but warned him against calling the police saying, ‘if you do I will come back and slit your throat’.”

Mr Farr said after making the threat, Stott left the property and an ambulance and the police were called, with officers recovering the defendant’s mobile phone from Mr Edwards’ home.

As a result of the incident, Mr Edwards suffered a puncture wound to his side, a wound to his thigh and a fractured jaw.

In a victim personal statement, Mr Edwards said he’d been left feeling anxious and now avoids going out anywhere unless he has to.

Kristian Cavanagh, mitigating, said his client had suffered significant childhood trauma which had impacted on all aspects of his life, most significantly his behaviour.

In sentencing, Judge Andrew Jefferies KC said: “You had suspicions Mr Edwards had been plying your daughter with alcohol and you took the law into your own hands.

“You should have told the authorities of your suspicions but you took it upon yourself to arm yourself with a weapon and stab him in the stomach causing him puncture wounds.

“None of those injuries were serious but then you punched him in the jaw and left him needing metal plates, and you ended the incident saying if the victim phoned the police you would slit his throat.”

Stott, formerly of Church Street, Stacksteads, has a number of relevant convictions which include seven violent offences against a person.

He pleaded guilty on the day of trial to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, threats to kill and breaching a suspended sentence.

He was jailed for four years and nine months and handed a five-year restraining order.