A stabber who carried out an assault in broad daylight following a career advice session has been jailed after leaving a 15-year-old fearing for his life
The 20-year-old Andre MacCarthy was initially involved in a mere brawl in Station Road on September 3 at 2.42pm, however minutes later the situation escalated dramatically when he returned to the scene, smashed a bottle and pursued the victim , who was 15 at the time, a court was told.
MacCarthy, of Francis Road, Harrow, did not know the victim, but had become involved in a verbal exchange when popping out to the shops for some cigarettes after a meeting with career advice centre Connexions.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said in a witness statement to police: "I was minding my own business. He seemed to be looking for trouble."
After being provoked by MacCarthy, who was making sexual references about the mother of the victim, the 15-year-old threw a punch which led to a brief exchange before heading their separate ways. The court saw CCTV footage of the following incident however, which sees MacCarthy return, smash a bottle and begin to pursue the victim before a bus blocks the view.
The victim added in his statement: "I did not know what to do. It wasn't until I had been taken to hospital before I was told I had been stabbed. I feared for my life."
The victim sustained injuries to the back of the head and needed surgery for a puncture to the lung as a result of the stabbing.
MacCarthy initially claimed to police when he turned himself in that he had no idea how the victim sustained the injuries, however Judge Annan, sentencing MacCarthy at Harrow Crown Court on Thursday, said that this account was 'inconsistent' with the CCTV footage. The victim is now said to struggle when using his left arm due to nerve damage.
Judge Annan gave MacCarthy credit for showing 'a degree of remorse and a desire to want to do the right thing' in turning himself in following a radio appeal for information, however he did also note that MacCarthy left it until the day of trial – January 21 – before pleading guilty to the charge of wounding with intent.
Defending MacCarthy, Oliver Grimwood said: “His family are deeply shocked he has found himself in this situation. He knows that he could have walked away. It is his greatest regret that he did not. He now has to look at the photos of the blood and look at his mother and say 'I did that'."
MacCarthy was given 4 and a half years in a young offenders institute, of which he will serve half in custody and half on license.
