A MAN who overreacted after “trouble came to his door” has been jailed for 56 months for a double stabbing with a screw driver.

John Bake carried out the attack, lunging at a man sitting in a car passenger seat, after he, himself, was attacked outside his home.

Durham Crown Court heard that the victim, who used the car door to try to put distance between himself and Bake, suffered deep stab wounds to the left inner thigh and left forearm, in the incident in Briar Close, Spennymoor, on Friday October 1, last year.

Dr Chris Wood, prosecuting, said the victim needed urgent treatment at a hospital trauma centre, with the injuries being treated with five and seven stitches, respectively.

Although there has been no loss of movement as a result there is likely to some long-term or permanent scarring.

Bake was described as walking off up the street after the incident, still in an angry mood, but witnesses described him trying to conceal the weapon.

The 26-year-old defendant, of Briar Close, claimed he was trying to defend himself, having been taken in a headlock and put to the ground earlier, by another man.

But he was found guilty of wounding with intent, following a trial at Durham Crown Court, in late March.

Bake was cleared by the jury on four other charges, however, two of threatening to destroy or damage property, and one each of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour.

The case was adjourned for sentencing of the defendant by Judge Robert Spragg, now sitting at Newcastle Crown Court, who presided over the trial in Durham.

Dr Wood told the hearing it may be considered a “revenge” attack, while the victim was in a “vulnerable” position, sitting in the car seat, “like a sitting duck” while the female driver attempted to start the vehicle.

Rebecca Brown, for the defendant, said to refer to it as, “a revenge attack” may be, “stretching it too far”.

She said it was more a case of him overreacting after a prosecution witness, “brought the situation to his door”.

Read more: Spennymoor man denies stabbing and damage threats charges

The court heard the defendant has 28 convictions for 50 offences, ten of them for incidents of violence, but Miss Brown said none of resulted in serious injury and the last of those was when he was aged 19, until now.

Judge Spragg said there appeared to have been, “an unhappy history”, with, “some animosity” between some of the parties involved in the incident.

But he said he did not consider the defendant was acting, “out of revenge”.

Having read a letter from the defendant, Judge Spragg told him: “Your letter expresses remorse. You accept that trouble, in a sense, came to your door and there was some degree of provocation.

“But your response was manifestly excessive at a time when they were leaving.”

Jailing Bake for four years and eight months, Judge Spragg said he did not consider it necessary to put in place a restraining order in this case.

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