A man who repeatedly stabbed his friend in an unprovoked attack before telling the victim: ‘I’ll lick your blood’ has been jailed for six years.
Liam Winstanley aged 20 of Sutton Drive, Droylsden pleaded guilty to assault.
He also received a 16-month prison sentence to run concurrently after pleading guilty to affray and possession of a knife following a large scale disorder in Droylsden in December 2017.
The court heard how back in March Winstanley was one of three passengers in his friend’s silver Vauxhall Corsa.Winstanley asked to be dropped off at Saxon Hill, close to Medlock Sports Centre, Droylsden.
While getting out the vehicle, Winstanley produced a knife and asked the driver ‘who do you think you’re setting up?’ before stabbing him to his right bicep and right of his chest.
Winstanley then attacked the victim again with a downward strike aiming for the man’s face.
The victim managed to deflect the blow, suffering a serious injury to his forearm which severed an artery and required surgery.
The victim managed to grab Winstanley’s knife hand, who then ran off and said: ‘I’ll lick the blood off the knife’.
Separately, in December last year, police were called to a large scale disturbance at Droylsden Catholic Club, Sunnyside Road, where an 18th birthday party was taking place.
CCTV showed Winstanley arriving at the venue before attempting to start fights with various people in the club’s car park.
After exchanging punches with one man, he produced a knife and lunged at him, before dropping the weapon.
He then began to randomly throw punches at people waiting at a nearby bus stop. The incident spilled onto the road where Winstanley began banging on the bonnet of a vehicle which had stopped.
Detective Sergeant Joseph Harrop of GMP’s Tameside Division said: “Winstanley is clearly an unpredictable and dangerous individual.
“His behaviour was erratic, paranoid and – quite frankly – bizarre.
“Without any prior warning, he viciously attacked his friend.
“The victim’s strength and bravery in defending himself quite possibly saved his life, but left him with a very nasty injury that has required extensive treatment.
“During the separate incident outside the club, Winstanley seemed frenzied, and intent on hurting anyone he could find – including innocent members of the public.
“We are glad he’s now in prison – where he belongs.”
