A teenager spared jail after a brawl when two men were stabbed has since walked free from court twice.
Jack Nolan and Charles George went to a home in Bootle to confront another boy. But he wasn't there and the two yobs instead fought with his family.
The boy's grandad was knifed in the back, while his uncle was stabbed in the arm, in shocking scenes captured on CCTV. But prosecutors said they were couldn't say which teen stabbed the victims, on May 10, 2021.
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As a result, Nolan, 19, and George, 18, both received suspended prison sentences in January, after they admitted affray. However, Nolan, of Cricklade Close, Bootle, was soon back at Liverpool Crown Court - for dealing cocaine.
On April 13, he admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and obstructing a police officer, in Sefton on May 8 last year. Neither of those offences put him in breach of his suspended sentence, as they predated it.
The judge on that occasion, Recorder Graham Wells, handed him two years' detention, suspended for two years. He told Nolan to carry out a Thinking Skills Programme, a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) and 140 hours of unpaid work.
Nolan - said to have "anger management issues" and ADHD - was back in the dock this morning for failing to attend a probation appointment on March 31. That was one of the requirements imposed by Judge Anil Murray when he sentenced him on January 5, for the incident involving the double stabbing.
Judge Murray had given him 20 months' detention, suspended for two years, with 120 hours of unpaid work, a Thinking Skills Programme, and a 25-day RAR.
Nolan today admitted breaching his suspended sentence. Zahra Baqri, prosecuting, said he was also subject to a community order.
Nolan previously received a youth referral order in August 2019 for possessing a bladed article in public; a conditional discharge in December 2020 for possessing ketamine; an 18-month community order in February 2021 for possessing cannabis with intent to supply and assaulting an emergency worker; and another community order in March 2021 for handling stolen goods.
Judge Murray said Nolan was now subject to two suspended sentences and a community order. He said: "He's incredibly lucky not to be in prison."
Martine Snowdon, defending, said her client had spent time on remand in connection with the affray. He was held in custody for around eight months, from last May to January.
That is the equivalent of a 16-month sentence, when an offender is released on licence at the halfway stage. Judge Murray said in January the time Nolan had already served was a factor in his decision to spare him jail.
The judge today revoked the community order, but said the two suspended sentences would continue. He imposed an additional 21 hours of unpaid work.
He told Nolan: "You're getting very close to finding yourself in prison. If you breach these orders again, the chances are you're going to have these orders activated. Is that clear?" Nolan replied: "Yes."
The double stabbing happened outside Stuart and Elizabeth Laird's home, in Glover Place, on Monday, May 10, 2021. Jamie Baxter, prosecuting in January, said Stuart Laird, 63, and Anthony Laird, 45, were knifed with "what must have been a bladed instrument", while Elizabeth Laird was punched in the face.
Mr Baxter said there was a "background", involving George and Nolan - who are cousins - and a youth named Liam Laird. He said: "The prosecution say George and Nolan attended at the address in order to confront a younger member of the Laird family, a young man called Liam - the son of Stacey Laird and grandson of Stuart and Elizabeth Laird - who was not in fact present."
Mr Baxter said an "altercation" broke out. He said this was initially between George and Elizabeth Laird, before the male victims and Stacey Laird intervened.
He said the evidence demonstrated at least one of the teenagers had "a bladed article". However, he said: "None of the complainants, nor the CCTV... is able to demonstrate, at least with any certainty, which of the two defendants caused the injuries."
Mr Baxter said Elizabeth Laird could be seen to grab Nolan by the hair. Describing the CCTV, he added: "George runs in - his arm is being held as he runs in."
The two teens fled, before emergency services were called, just after 3.50pm. Stuart and Anthony Laird later received stitches for their wounds.
George and Nolan were arrested and each charged with two counts of wounding and one count of possessing a knife. On the opening day of a trial, they both admitted the lesser offence of affray, which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Judge Murray said the prosecution informed him there were "evidential reasons" for this decision. He said there had been "retraction statements" by at least two of the four complainants and they had all been spoken to and knew "no one is going to be sentenced on the basis they were the stabber".
Mr Baxter said: "The family themselves, Stuart and Elizabeth Laird in particular, didn't want to continue with the proceedings. They attributed this to the actions of stupid young men and expressed a hope that they would turn their lives around."
Judge Murray said all prosecution witnesses were "satisfied" with the approach and "expressed the desire the defendants are able to get on with their lives, as they showed promise".
The judge said the prosecution's acceptance of a plea to affray meant neither teen was being sentenced for stabbing the victims and they were each being sentenced on the basis they didn't know the other one had a knife.
George, of Church Gardens, Bootle, had no previous convictions. He received 16 months' detention, suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work and a 10-day RAR.
