A MAN has been jailed after attacking his partner’s ex-boyfriend with a knife in Cheshire.

Connor Wright was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, August 25, for assaulting a person and causing them actual body harm and possessing a knife in a public place.

The 25-year-old was jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay a £156 victim surcharge.

The court heard that the offences were committed after the victim had gone to Wright’s partner’s home in Widnes.

The 22-year-old man was refused entry.

Wright, of Avondale Drive, Widnes, was on the phone to his girlfriend when the victim went to her address.

He subsequently confronted the victim as he walked towards Hough Green Railway Station to go back to his Liverpool home.

Fearing that Wright had a weapon, the victim pulled him off the bicycle he was on.

In the ensuing struggle, which occurred near the entrance of the railway station at around 12.30pm on Sunday, July 12, Wright attempted to stab the victim with a kitchen knife he was carrying.

This resulted in the victim sustaining two minor cuts to his torso.

Wright then ran off along Liverpool Road to a nearby convenience store, discarding the large knife as he did so, as well as the coat and snood he had on and his house keys and mobile phone.

He called the police from the store, claiming that the victim had brought the knife to the scene.

However, a subsequent search of Wright’s home revealed that it was part of a set of kitchen knives in the property.

Wright was arrested outside the store, and when interviewed in custody he claimed that he had gone to the train station to meet a friend.

He said the victim attacked him and that the knife ‘came out of nowhere’.

Wright also initially claimed that he was unaware the victim had gone to his girlfriend’s house that morning.

However, he later admitted in custody that his girlfriend had phoned him that morning to tell him about the unexpected visit.

After being informed of all the evidence that officers subsequently gathered against him, including CCTV footage and witness statements, Wright pleaded guilty to both of his charges.

Following his sentencing, Detective Constable Rob Catterall, who led the investigation on behalf of Widnes Local Policing Unit, said: “Connor Wright went to Hough Green Railway Station armed with a large knife to confront his girlfriend’s ex-partner, and in the ensuing altercation in a road he attempted to stab him.

“Thankfully, this only resulted in the victim sustaining two minor injuries that did not require hospital treatment.

“The consequences of this incident could have been far worse, for both the two men involved and their families.

“I am pleased that Wright has now been convicted of, and sentenced for, the offences he committed, and I hope that this case deters others from carrying and using knives.”

Chief Inspector Sarah Heath, who is Cheshire Constabulary’s knife crime lead, added: “Cheshire has a lower rate of knife crime than most other counties in England.

“We saw a reduction in knife crime in Cheshire last year, in contrast to the rise in knife crime that was seen nationally.

“However, we will not be satisfied until we have achieved our goal of achieving weapons-free streets throughout Cheshire.

“We have a multi-faceted approach to tackling knife crime at Cheshire Constabulary.

“Our structured prepare, protect, pursue and prevent approach to combating knife crime involves various partner agencies, including local authorities, education providers, health authorities, third sector organisations, youth representatives and community groups.

“We work together to educate young people about the dangers and futility of carrying weapons, steer them away from criminality and offer them attractive alternative ways to spend their time.

“We will continue to endeavour – through education, awareness and action – to make Cheshire a county in which no-one carries a knife or feels that there is a reason to do so.

“However, the police cannot achieve this goal on our own. Knife crime is a societal problem that cannot be solved without the support of the whole society.

“I urge anyone with information regarding knife crimes or those who carry weapons to give us the details.

“If you know someone who carries a knife then reporting it to the police could be enough to save a life.

“For the small few in our communities who continue to carry knives, bring harm to others and have no intention of changing their behaviour, we will enforce action in every case.”

David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, said: “Carrying a knife doesn’t make you safer, and the consequences can be devastating for all those involved.

“Cheshire Constabulary is doing all it can to reduce the number of dangerous weapons on our streets, and to educate people about the dangers of knife crime, and I urge anyone with information about those who carry such weapons to come forward in confidence and report it.”

To report any type of crime involving weapons call Cheshire Constabulary on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Information can also be passed to the force online via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report.

Anyone who knows someone that carries a knife can report it to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.