A MEAT cleaver attack on a man as he walked home late at night could have decapitated him.
The 19-year-old victim had a lucky escape but was left permanently scarred after the cleaver sliced through his ear, Warwick Crown Court has heard.
His attacker Jordan Ramsay was given an extended prison sentence after pleading guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article.
The 24 year-old of Wentworth Road, Overslade, Rugby, who also admitted further offences of threatening with a weapon, causing damage and assault, was jailed for seven years and two months.
Prosecutor Balvinder Bhatti said in June last year the victim was walking along Collingswood Avenue with a female friend when they saw Ramsey and another man on the opposite side of the road.
They glanced at the men, who were shouting and acting aggressively, with one of them heard to refer to Ramsay’s girlfriend.
Ramsey crossed the road shouting into the victim’s face before pulling out a large meat cleaver, which Judge Andrew Lockhart QC described as ‘a fearsome weapon.’
Ramsay brandished it towards the victim, who did not run off because he did not want to desert his friend.
Ramsay swung the cleaver, slicing the man’s ear in two, before walking away as his victim fell down with blood pouring from the wound.
Judge Lockhart commented: “There must have been an intention to cause more harm than was caused, because there was a meat cleaver swung down at someone’s head or neck. It could have almost decapitated him.”
When Ramsay was arrested he denied being responsible and named his sister as an alibi – but she refuted his claim – and he was also identified by the victim and his friend.
Despite that, he was given bail, and at the end of July he became involved in an argument with his girlfriend, during which he smashed a bottle on the pavement and threatened her, pushing it towards her face, and also damaged the wing mirror of a car.
Two weeks later there was a further incident, captured by a CCTV camera, in which Ramsay knocked his girlfriend down and dragged her around during another argument.
Miss Bhatti said Ramsey had previous convictions, but none for violence.
Hugh Williams, defending, said Ramsay had been with his girlfriend since they were 16 or 17, and on the night of the meat cleaver attack he was upset and had been drinking after she had suffered a miscarriage.
“It was a thoroughly awful offence, and the fact is he should never have been carrying this weapon.”
Jailing Ramsay, Judge Lockhart told him: “You were in possession of a very large cleaver, and you struck down with that meat cleaver towards his head or neck. It is merciful it did not sever part of his neck.
“I am driven to conclude you do present a clear and present danger.”
