A MAN who stabbed his neighbour during an early morning row could have killed his victim had things been “a centimetre or two different”, a court heard.

Michael Martin Doyle, 52, inflicted a four-inch wound to the chest of Peter Glyn Arthur Leonard at their address in Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard Doyle grabbed the knife after Mr Leonard came at him with a hammer during an argument at around 6am on June 3.

Doyle was initially charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding with intent, however, the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to the lesser charge of section 20 wounding without intent, with the defendant citing “excessive self-defence”.

Judge Jonathan Fuller QC, who jailed the defendant for two years and six months, said: “There was no organ damage. He could, however, have nearly lost his life had things been a centimetre or two different – this is my conclusion.

“If I am wrong in saying he could have lost his life, what he could have had is a life-threatening injury.

“In any event, it is agreed that his injury can be described as grave.”

Bournemouth Echo: A cordon was in place on the morning of June 3 after the stabbing at the Holdenhurst Road addressA cordon was in place on the morning of June 3 after the stabbing at the Holdenhurst Road address

Prosecuting, Sadie Rizzo said the altercation broke out between the two men on the morning of June 3 at their shared accommodation on the first floor of a converted house.

Ms Rizzo described them as both being “extremely agitated”.

Mr Leonard, aged in his 40s, was holding a hammer, while Doyle picked up the kitchen knife from his bedroom.

“It is the crown’s case that Mr Doyle has stabbed Mr Leonard to the chest area,” said Ms Rizzo.

Emergency services were called after residents in nearby properties heard a woman – Mr Leonard’s girlfriend – screaming in the street and shouting “he’s dying, he’s dying”.

Mr Leonard had a four-inch wound in the vicinity of his heart, however he suffered no organ damage. The judge said the knife “must have entered the chest cavity and not touched an organ”.

Ms Rizzo said: “He described being stabbed, he fell to the floor and noticed blood.

“He fell down the stairs.”

The court heard that at the scene, the victim said: “How bad is this? Am I going to die?”

Bournemouth Echo: Police at the address after the incidentPolice at the address after the incident

Officers spoke to Mr Doyle at the address. He explained how Mr Leonard had a hammer. He blamed the stabbing on two black male intruders who ran away, but he could not describe them.

After giving this account, police initially treated the defendant as a witness but once officers were able to speak to Mr Leonard he became a suspect.

Doyle went to a friend’s home and made admissions to them and his sister about what actually happened, the court heard.

In police interview he gave no comment.

Judge Fuller QC said Doyle had a “very bad record”, with 39 convictions for 81 offences, but added he had not been to prison very much.

Nick Robinson, representing the defendant, said there were mitigating features relating to the offence and the offender.

The barrister said his client has a medical disorder and an alcohol problem.

Doyle was genuinely remorseful and he panicked when he saw Mr Leonard with the hammer, Mr Robinson told the court.

Judge Fuller QC said it was “regrettable” that full medical evidence about the injury had not been given during the case.

“A substantial wound is evident from the photographs and the observations made by Mr Leonard in his personal statement state that the doctors observed he was fortunate to not sustain injuries from the knife to his heart, lungs, diaphragm or spleen,” said Judge Fuller QC.

Doyle received two years and three months imprisonment for the wounding offence, three months imprisonment consecutive for breaching a community order and one month concurrent for breaching a suspended sentence.

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