Man who stabbed love rival seven times jailed for 10 years
An angry Lithuanian migrant who stabbed a love rival seven times during a bust up at a Wolverhampton flat has been jailed for more than ten years.
Aldivynas Jurkevicius, aged 40, had been punched by 27-year-old Darius Burkus when they clashed earlier in the day, the city’s Crown Court was told.
He later launched the knife attack at a flat in Longfield House, Tithe Croft, Heath Town, where Irena Zukauskaite lived.
Mr Hugh O’Brien Quinn, prosecuting, explained: “She was the girlfriend of the defendant and, it seems, would allow others, mainly men, to attend her flat and drink alcohol.”
Jurkevicius, who had been drinking heavily, had a row with her and left the address during the early hours of April 22 but returned around lunch time.
Mr Burkus was already there and violence flared within minutes and jealous Jurkevicius was seen on CCTV leaving with minor injuries after being punched.
The defendant returned later the same day and was soon joined by Mr Burkus, who less than two hours later emerged bleeding profusely.
The victim asked a passer by to call an ambulance before collapsing on a bench.
A stab wound had cut an artery causing heavy internal bleeding.
One and a half litres of blood were drained from the right side of his chest during treatment but he has made a good recovery, the court heard.
Police followed the trail of blood from the bench back to the flat where they found drunken Jurkevicius, who claimed to remember little of what had happened but was seen on CCTV by a bin dumping his T-shirt, which was later found to have the victim’s blood on it.
The kitchen knife used in the stabbing was lying on the draining board.
Mr Burkus said the attack was triggered by Jurkevicius over his ‘interaction’ with the defendant’s girlfriend.
Miss Rebecca Wade, defending, maintained Jurkevicius was not usually aggressive or violent in drink and was seen as an ‘easy target’ among his drinking buddies.
The defendant, from Campion House, Hobgate Road, Heath Town, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and was jailed for ten years ten months by Judge Nicholas Webb who said: “This was a sustained assault.”
