JAILED: Cannock man who attacked neighbour with kitchen knife

The simmering tension between Craig Fielding and Mark Cartlidge turned violent when Fielding armed himself with a kitchen knife in the block of bedsits they both lived in.

Fielding began jabbing it at Mr Cartlidge, who put out his hands to defend himself but was struck three times before he managed to wrestle the weapon from his attacker. He was left with a deep cut between thumb and forefinger as well as damage to his thumb and a severed tendon.

Mr Cartlidge was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital and had to undergo surgery to repair the damage.

Mr Paul Farrow, prosecuting at Stafford Crown Court, said the knifing took place in the block where both men lived.

The court was told that there had been numerous arguments between them but when Mr Cartlidge went to the toilet on March 7 this year, the defendant tried the door handle and stood there holding an eight-inch knife that he then attacked him with.

But after Mr Cartlidge started bleeding heavily, Fielding ran off.

The court heard that police were called to the address and arrested Fielding.

He told the officers there had been trouble between him and Mr Cartlidge and accepted getting the knife and waving it around.

Fielding, aged 42, of Littleworth Road, Cannock, has since admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Mr David Munro, mitigating, said Fielding turned to drink after losing his job in a factory.

He had previously tried a career in nursing, but it did not work out.

He said: "He lost his job through no fault of his own and with time on his hands, began drinking."

But Judge Jonathan Gosling said the knife attack was an extremely serious offence.

Sentencing Fielding to 14 months in prison, he told him: "A combination of loss of temper built up over a few weeks and being heavily intoxicated led you to behave the way you did.

"Brandishing a knife is always extremely serious - there was no reason for you to do it.

"You didn't simply brandish the knife, you stabbed out at him."