A knifeman left his victim with an appalling 'life sentence' after slashing him to the face in a churchyard knife attack. Anthony Leather knifed the 31-year-old man in the grounds of St Mary's Church in Eccles town centre, Salford.
The victim had been drinking cans of beer in the grassy area when a man on a mobility scooter drove past. Leather, who was also present, slapped the man on the mobility scooter to the face, Manchester Crown Court was told.
After the victim intervened, crack addict Leather, 47, slashed him to the face with a four inch Stanley knife, shouting 'I'll kill you'. Leather slashed him a second time before he was able to get away.
The victim needed 20 stitches to treat the horrendous wound just below his left eye, prosecutor John Richards said. He has been left with permanent scarring and notices people staring at him.
"At the moment I feel I am a picture or a painting, because everyone keeps on looking at me in public," he said. The man said he wants to leave the area, but has been unable to do so.
Leather, who has 17 previous convictions including assault and threatening a blade, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a knife. "Without apparent provocation you started to attack him, he having sought to intervene in an incident in which you were attacking another male," sentencing judge, Recorder Joanne Woodward told Leather.
"You had a knife in your possession. You lashed out at him, holding the knife causing him a slash wound to his head and face, shouting I'll kill you. He tried to get away but you hut him again.
"He suffered what can only be described as a shocking disfigurement as a result of this wound. He and his family are fearful of remaining in the area in which they live.
"He describes how everybody stares at him." Defending, Michael James said Leather denied initiating any violence, and claimed he'd been pushed first.
He said Leather accepted there was 'no excuse for retaliating'. The court heard that Leather had told of the 'life sentence' his victim will suffer, having suffered permanent scarring to his face.
Leather, of Southway, Eccles, was declared a dangerous offender and handed an extended 12 year sentence, including eight years in prison and an extra four years on licence. He will serve two-thirds of his eight year sentence in prison, before the Parole Board decide whether it is safe for him to be released.
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