Drunk jailed for stabbing
10:01am Wednesday 21st May 2008
A MAN convicted of stabbing his friend of more than 20 years had already been before the courts 48 times for a total of 91 offences, many of which involved violence.
Graeme Fitzgerald, aged 44, of Coombe Cottage, Roskear Croft, Camborne, was jailed for two and a half years and his licence period was extended by a further two and a half years at Truro Crown Court.
Judge Christopher Elwen ruling that there was a clear and significant risk of him committing further offences involving serious risk to the public.
Fitzgerald had denied unlawfully and maliciously wounding Graham Abraham and common assault on Mr Abraham's partner Christine Harry. The jury brought in majority guilty verdicts after being in retirement for more than three hours.
Judge Elwen told Fitzgerald that when he was first seen in the street on July 27 last year he was somewhat the worse for wear, mumbling and growling.
Fifteen minutes later he called on his friends, who were eating their tea and watching television and who were also the worse for drink. He was asked to leave and return later but a heated argument developed.
Fitzgerald grabbed a table knife and went for Mr Abraham, who received a stab wound on his shoulder and a cut on his head. He also slapped or punched Miss Harry on the face.
"It was a serious and unprovoked attack on someone innocently sitting eating his tea and watching television," said the Judge. "The suggestion of self defence was merely fanciful and occurred whilst you were in the witness box."
Prosecutor Tom Bradnock revealed that Fitzgerald's sentences included one of three and a half years imprisonment at the Crown Court in 1994 for wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.
Defending, Piers Norsworthy stressed that the two men had been friends for 20 years and that the injuries could have been much more serious.