A dad-of-one has been left scarred for life following a frenzied knife attack in a pub beer garden.
Arron Kenny, 25, was repeatedly stabbed in the neck and head with a Stanley knife after being caught up in a brawl outside the Newall Green pub in Wythenshawe. The assistant shop manager suffered shocking injuries including a gaping wound to the back of his neck.
He later shared horrific pictures of his wounds on Facebook along with the heartfelt plea: ''Put the knives down!'' Witnesses claimed the attacker, self-employed joiner Louis Edwards, 28, had been waving the knife about in the minutes before the stabbing - telling friends: “If you want to make a point cut his f****** face off. Slash his face up!''
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The fight followed a ''minor disagreement'' between Mr Kenny's brother and a friend of Edwards at the pub in Greenbrow Road. At Manchester Crown Court, the victim - known as AJ - spoke out about his ordeal as Edwards was jailed for six years and ten months after admitting wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
''The attack has had a significant effect on my life'' he said in a statement. ''I have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result and struggle to sleep every single night. It takes me hours to get to sleep as I cannot stop replaying in my head what happened that night.
''I barely go out anymore, as I have become very anxious and start sweating and shaking. Whenever I do go out people ask me about it constantly which only worsens my anxiety. When strangers ask me about my scars I feel as thought I can never get away from thinking about it and I somehow less worthy as I cannot handle it.
''The attack has affected my life in so many ways. I have been prescribed medication for anxiety because my legs start to shake when I have panic attacks and I've had to call my dad to pick me up for work."
The attack on June 4 last year arose out of undisclosed ''tensions'' between AJ's brother and another man whose girlfriends were known to each other. Hunter Gray, prosecuting, said AJ's brother had walked over to the man "to clear the air" but a brief fight then broke out.
As they parted, the court heard Edwards approached AJ's brother who saw him produce a Stanley knife from his pocket. Mr Gray said eyewitnesses reported hearing Edwards say “this is how we're going to do it'' as well as ordering the other man to “slash his face up”.
After receiving a phone call from his brother, the court heard AJ arrived at the pub and approached the men. However, he was then attacked by the defendant who was described as “flying out.”
A fight then broke out in which Edwards was seen "making stabbing movements with his right hand" towards AJ’s body, Mr Gray said. AJ's brother managed to drag Edwards away before the defendant and his group made off towards a van in the car park and drove away at speed.
''It was clear that AJ had been stabbed and had a particularly nasty wound to his neck below his ear," Mr Gray said. A barman at the pub later told police how he took drinks out to the beer garden only to spot Edwards take a Stanley knife out of his pocket.
The barman told everyone to calm down and believed the incident was over but then saw AJ arrive and start shouting at Edwards and fighting broke out. AJ suffered a total of five wounds.
Edwards - a father-of-one of Blackcarr Road, Wythenshawe - was arrested three days later but made no comment in interview. He was picked out as the attacker in an identity parade by AJ and his brother.
He initially claimed the weapon was a screwdriver which he obtained from someone else in the moments before the fight, but later accepted it was a knife. In mitigation, Richard Vardon said Edwards' grandfather had died while he was awaiting sentence.
He added: ''He comes from a stable background and has a good work ethic. He has demonstrated appropriate regret and remorse. He is a mature, hard working and dedicated father.
"This all happened very quickly. Although there was a use of a weapon, it was not taken to the scene for use as and when the situation demanded.
''There was a greater degree of provocation than one would normally expect which explain why a man of his age and background became involved which is what he would say was an excess of self defence. He was under attack himself and reacted to that attack in this unlawful way.
"This offence is out of character. It's had a devastating impact on not only the victim but also the defendant. Since his arrest, he has lost his business and his current relationship is under strain and he has had limited contact with his child.''
Sentencing Edwards, Recorder Paul Reid QC told him: ''Until this incident you had a lot going for you. There had been some low level disagreement and you stepped in to become involved in that."
The judge added: "It was following AJs arrival that the trouble started. There was plainly more than one fight going on but you at some point, armed with the Stanley knife used it to cause a number of very serious injuries to AJ.
“Mr Vardon is right to say this is an unusual case for a man without previous convictions, to become involved in a very high level of violence. Sadly, violence with knives is not in itself unusual."
