Telford man jailed over stabbing

Alan Evans, of Mercia Drive, Leegomery, admitted unlawfully wounding Jermaine Moore in Wellington, after initially denying the charge.

During sentencing, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard Evans, 37, had a history of keeping knives and had been convicted in June for possessing a knife.

He was subject to a community order for that charge when, after consuming a large amount of alcohol, he visited the Station Hotel, in Station Road, Wellington, with his dog at about 11.20pm on July 11.

Evans then walked to the nearby railway station where he saw 20-year-old Mr Moore with three friends.

The friends were waiting for a train to Shrewsbury and there was an exchange between Evans and Mr Moore and a scuffle then broke out which involved one of the group kicking Evans's dog.

Evans returned to the Station Hotel where he went to a rucksack and took out a knife, which he put up his sleeve. Mr Moore then approached Evans with his arms out.

Judge Robin Onions said: "Whether you interpreted this as threatening or not you stabbed Mr Moore, causing a deep wound and you disposed of the knife.

"The injury to Mr Moore was very serious and he had to be transferred to the Royal Stoke University Hospital due to the severity of the injury."

Mr Moore's kidney was punctured and he lost a lot of blood. He left hospital on July 19, a week after the stabbing.

"This is something which occurred without a great deal of thought," said Judge Onions. "You were serving a community order at the time for possessing a knife."

Evans was jailed for three years and four months. He will serve half in prison and the rest on licence.

Judge Onions also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife.