THE sentencing of a man who has admitted a pub stabbing has been delayed to enable him to gather testimonials to present to the court.

Daniel Barnes left his victim with a suspected punctured lung after lunging at him with a knife, at The Wheatsheaf in Sunderland.

It followed a verbal altercation and brawl between two groups of men in the Roker Avenue premises, on the evening of May 18.

The victim suffering a stab wound to the side which required hospital treatment.

Following the attack, 34-year-old Barnes, in a blood-stained white jacket, was spotted making off from the scene but was swiftly located and arrested by police.

Barnes of Esdale, Ryhope, Sunderland, admitted wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article in public at Newcastle Crown Court, in June.

He was remanded in custody to allow preparation of a background probation report, to assess the level of dangerousness he poses.

But, when he appeared for sentence, his counsel, Vince Ward, said Barnes had been unable to bring character references and certificates achieved while on remand in prison to the court.

He asked Recorder Neil Haythorne for a short adjournment to allow Barnes to collate the documents to bring to court.

Recorder Haythorne agreed and remanded Barnes in custody to be produced at court for sentence, next Tuesday.

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