A man who came home drunk to find his partner’s son sleeping in the spare room stabbed him multiple times. David McCall, 60, returned to the house in Ampthill Road, Shefford from the pub at around 11 o’clock at night.
Luton Crown Court heard the son had earlier rung his mother and asked to stay. She collected him from the station and then went to bed in her room while the son, who is aged 30, was on the floor in the spare room.
Prosecutor James Onalaja said when McCall saw the son he grabbed him and was shouting: “I am going to get you killed.” McCall, from Stotfold, pushed his partner against a wall and went downstairs to fetch a knife.
He returned to the victim’s room and started to stab him, screaming that he was going to kill him. One wound pierced the skin on his neck, causing blood to run down his body.
The victim’s mother pushed him away as McCall shouted: “I am getting people to kill you and your mum.” The victim reached for his mobile phone and dialled 999 before throwing it to his mother who reported was going on.
McCall ran downstairs but returned to the room.
He was unable to get in because the victim had followed the emergency call handler’s advice and was sitting against the door, preventing him from opening it.
The police arrived and arrested McCall. The victim was taken to hospital.
He had a laceration to his neck, the back of his head and upper back. All the wounds were superficial and he was discharged at 6.44 the next morning, said Mr Onalaja. McCall told the police he had been to the pub with his two dogs. He said he had drunk four to five pints.
When he arrived home he went to the spare room to get a duvet as he was sleeping in a reclining chair because he had broken his shoulder.
He denied making threats to kill and said he had not used a knife. McCall of Summerfield Court, Stotfold appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm on the night of January 7, 2022,last year.
In an impact statement the victim said: “I thought he was going to kill me. He was shouting and not making any sense. I thought I was going to die.
I have never been in a fight before.” His mother said McCall was a good man who had “acted out of character.” She said she still loved him and wanted to be with him adding: “All relationships have their ups and downs.” Simon Sterling, defending, said he was remorseful and of good character.
Since the offence he said he had forsworn alcohol and recreational drugs, he said. Recorder John Law said: “You came home drunk from. You armed yourself with a knife and stabbed him six or seven times.
“Fortunately the injuries were not very serious – they could have been. “He believed you were going to kill him and he was terrified.”
The judge said he accepted McCall had genuine remorse and shame and sentenced him to 14 months in jail suspended for 18 months.
He must complete 15 rehabilitation days, 150 hours unpaid work and pay £500 prosecution costs.
The judge told him: “You have to exercise will power to stay off drink and drugs.”
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