Knifeman gets 10 years jail for sword attack on love rival
A man who launched a savage attack on a rival in a row over a woman has been locked up for 10 years.
Errol Morgan repeatedly stabbed Granville Spence with a sword and knife, a jury heard.
The victim, who is in his 50s, was slashed across the face and left with a wound that sliced into his mouth, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
He was also stabbed in the chest and had the tendons of a hand severed by the blows, revealed Mr Bernard Linnemann, prosecuting.
Mr Spence went to confront the 58-year-old defendant at the latter’s home in Swallow Court in Low Hill, Wolverhampton, while armed with a baseball bat with which he banged on the front door shortly before midnight on January 13 last year.
There had been a falling out between the pair over their alleged relationships with a woman, the court heard.
This led to an ‘exchange of words’ after Morgan answered the door but the victim told the court he was backing off when the attack was launched.
The defendant insisted this happened in the hallway while Mr Spence maintained he was followed before being repeatedly slashed and stabbed outside the address.
Neighbours found the seriously injured man in the street and alerted the emergency services.
Morgan was among those living in the area who were questioned during house-to-house inquiries by police investigating the incident but told them he knew nothing about it.
Officers returned to arrest him after learning the truth but by then he had been able to get rid of the sword and either clean or dispose of the knife.
“There was an admitted attempt to conceal evidence,” said Mr Linnemann.
The defendant, who was said to have suffered a heart attack after the clash, claimed the ‘flurry of blows’ was struck in the heat of the moment as he grossly over-reacting while trying to defend himself.
This was dismissed by the jury who convicted him of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and being in possession of an offensive weapon.
Judge Jinder Singh Boora said: “It was his decision to open the door knowing the state of mind of the complainant who was backing off before this sustained and repeated assault which involved multiple blows, first with a knife and then a sword.
"The whole thing could have ended there. He could have stepped back inside.”
