Exeter man who "plunged a breadknife into victim's throat" is jailed by crown court judge
A MAN has been jailed for almost killing a friend who came within a millimetre of death after having a 10-inch blade plunged into his neck.
Joseph Kennedy had been binge drinking all night before picking up the bread knife during a petty argument and burying it in the throat of victim Lee Lewis.
The blade went in so deep it damaged his voice box. It sliced an artery and came within a fraction of an inch of cutting the carotid artery, which would have led to a loss of blood which he would not have survived.
Kennedy, 41, was already on bail at the time of the attack for using his car as a weapon to mow down his former partner’s new boyfriend.
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In that attack he revved up his engine before steering all four wheels of his car onto the pavement and hitting the victim so hard he bounced off the bonnet and flew ten feet through the air.
Kennedy, of Wonford Street, Exeter, admitted wounding, causing actual bodily harm, and dangerous driving and was jailed for a total of four years and nine months by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.
He said: “You took a black handled, serrated bread knife and caused a wound which bled profusely. Mr Lewis thought he was going to die.
“You caused an injury which was potentially fatal and came within a millimetre of cutting the carotid artery. It went as far as the larynx and he was fortunate not to die in the circumstances.
“Fortunately for you the Crown decided not to proceed to trial on a charge of attempted murder because if they had, and you had been convicted, the sentence would be in double figures.”
Mary McCarthy, prosecuting, said Kennedy had been involved in two different incidents. In the first, in February last year, he lost his temper after meeting his ex partner Justine Wilkinson and her new boyfriend.
He appeared to drive away but then turned his car around and accelerated as hard as he could with the engine revving before mounting the pavement and hitting him, hurling him three metres into a rockery but causing only minor injuries and bruising.
She said the second attack happened five months later after he had been on an all night drinking binge with Mr Lewis and his girlfriend Carly Endacott.
A row broke out after they returned to Mr Lewis’ home in Church Road, Exeter, during which Kennedy punched or pushed Miss Endacott so hard she hit her head on a porch and was knocked unconscious.
He then went into the kitchen and took the large bread knife before returning to the hallway where he plunged it in Mr Lewis’ neck.
It cut the thyroid artery and narrowly missed the larger carotid artery before penetrating the larynx.
Rupert Taylor, defending, said Kennedy has started to turn his life around in the eight months he has been in custody awaiting sentence.
He has completed an course which will help him deal with his alcohol problems and impressed the Roman Catholic chaplain with his remorse and desire to change.
Comments
by marcj1983
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 10:12AM
“Is this a joke? Four years and nine months? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS F,ING COUNTRY????? He stabbed someone in the neck! If thats not attempted murder what is?? Innocent blood will be on the crowns hands when he's released in two years and actually kills someone. Not that they would loose any sleep over it, happens all the time. Peace”