Knife-fight thugs stabbed each other in Leeds house-key quarrel
A pair of thugs were told either or both of them could have died as they set about each other with knives during a bloody street fight.
Ryan Simpson and Mohamed Barry were both jailed at Leeds Crown Court.
Both refused to co-operate with police as to what triggered the scrap on Arthington Grove, Hunslet, but the court heard they had both been inside an address.
They both admitted Section 20 GBH without intent and affray.
The incident from February 15 was caught on CCTV and played to the court.
It was claimed that Simpson had inflicted the first wound, stabbing 19-year-old Barry in the back. Barry had just one knife, with Simpson holding two.
Simpson sustained the most serious injury, needing emergency surgery on a severed artery.
Simpson, of Brunswick Road, Pudsey, has 31 previous convictions for 45 offences, including thefts, criminal damage, drugs and public order offences.
The 37-year-old was on a two-year suspended sentence for burglary at the time of the knife attack.
Barry, of Northcote Crescent, Beeston, only has one previous conviction for possession of cannabis.
Mitigating for Simpson, Michael Greenhalgh said it was the “pursuit of drugs” that led him to being in that property.
He said he was locked inside and added: “Something took place which led to the injury to Barry. It escalated out into the street.
“He regrets being in that house at that time. He clearly armed himself, he would say for his own protection. He feared he was going to be attacked.”
For Barry, Paul Addison said the teenager had been sleeping on the sofa in the property, having been locked out of his own home.
He said there was a “kerfuffle” about who had the keys. Barry claimed Simpson then stabbed him in the back.
He said that Barry suffered from sickle cell disease and was also receiving chemotherapy.
The judge, Recorder Jason Pitter described it as an “unusual case” and said they were “behaving as bad as each other”.
He told them: “What is astonishing is that all of this took place in broad daylight, with members of the public going about their day-to-day business.
“It’s fortunate neither of you sustained the most serious injuries, or even died.”
He jailed Simpson for 30 months, with Barry receiving 27 months.