Teen 'could have murdered' victim after stabbing him in the neck during Wakefield house row
A teenager who stabbed a male in the neck outside a house has been warned he was “lucky” not to be facing a murder charge.
Instead, Jack Haytack was charged with GBH but denied the offence.
The 19-year-old was found guilty after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
He appeared in court for sentencing this week over a video link from HMP Doncaster where he was being held on remand.
Haytack, of Birch Green, Pontefract, was 17 at the time of the violent incident on June 5, 2024.
He had been at a house on Priory Road in Featherstone when the victim was ejected because of an argument and prevented from re-entering.
He went away but returned and continued to remonstrate outside. It was alleged he then began throwing fence panels at the front door.
Haytack grabbed a knife, went outside and stabbed the male through the neck.
The court heard that Haytack had been on a “three-day bender”, drinking and taking ketamine.
Following his trial in February he was found guilty of Section 18 GBH with intent and possessing a bladed article in a private place.
Judge Penelope Belcher told him: “There’s no doubt he [the victim] behaved very badly, but that door was closed.
“You got the knife from the kitchen, went outside and stabbed him through the neck. It was no way in self defence. It was anger, rage and a reaction to what was going on.
“You are extremely lucky you are not facing a murder charge.
“He could have died had it cut his jugular.”
Haytack has previous convictions for battery, criminal damage and assaults on emergency workers, all of which he received youth referral orders.
The court was told that since being held on remand, Haytack had made good use of his time, enrolling on courses and behaving well.
Judge Belcher said because he was only 17 at the time, he would be sentenced as if he were a child.
He was given three years’ detention in a young offender institution.