Former soldier stabbed man seven times in fight over £10 unpaid gardening fee

A former soldier stabbed a man seven times in a fight arising over unpaid gardening fee of just £10.

Joseph McCabe, 28, believed he was short-changed after carrying out work for a family in Old Swan .

McCabe confronted and shoved a teenage boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, over the matter on October 20 last year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how a man called David Leonard then challenged McCabe about the assault on the teen.

Simon Leong, prosecuting, said they “came to blows” but were separated and Mr Leonard believed that was the end of it.

However, he then heard rumours that McCabe, of Heathgate Avenue, Speke , had a knife and was intending to use it against him.

Mr Leonard returned to McCabe’s mum’s home on October 21, when she assured him there was no knife and told him to “let it go”.

The court heard McCabe arrived and Mr Leonard ran at him, punching him and taking him down to the ground.

Mr Leong said: “The complainant sat on top of the defendant, punching him repeatedly. Mr McCabe believed he was also being kicked to the head by another person.

“Mr McCabe then produced a multi-tool, garden implement. It seems to be a multi-tool with a long, pointed, almost claw-like metal structure at the end.

“He began to swing it at the back of the complainant and caused a number of injuries.”

Mr Leonard suffered seven puncture wounds to his back, which were shallow and did not require stitches.

McCabe was originally charged with wounding causing grievous bodily harm.

This allegation was dropped ahead of a trial, when he pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

'Excess of self defence'

Anthony O’Donohoe, defending, said: “This is a sad case in many ways because it centres over a trivial dispute about a £10 or £15 fee for some gardening work and then escalated out of all proportion.

“The defendant was attacked by Mr Leonard but then overreacted and acted in excess of self-defence.”

He said McCabe had been suffering from deteriorating mental health, “self-harming, self-medicating and misusing cannabis”.

Mr O’Donohoe said his client previously received a suspended sentence at an Army court martial after assaulting a fellow soldier who was bullying him.

He said: “During his Army career he had the most unhappy time, being the regular subject of bullying.”

Mr O’Donohoe added: “The defendant wants help, needs help and would respond to help.”

McCabe, who is on benefits, also has a previous caution for possessing cocaine.

Recorder Andrew McLoughlin, said it was lucky McCabe did not cause Mr Leonard more serious injuries but his mental health problems went “some way to reducing the seriousness of the offences”.

The judge handed McCabe six months in jail, suspended for two years, with 12 months’ supervision.

He told him to attend a rehabilitation course and Resolve programme and pay £200 in compensation to Mr Leonard.