A man stabbed his flatmate with a kitchen knife during a "tussle" following an argument over drugs.
Michael Lunn ended up stabbing his friend underneath his armpit after a scuffle ensued following an argument about his drug taking on September 6 last year. After the stabbing, the men made-up with each other and Lunn even tended to the wound with a towel.
But when Lunn, 47, told the man he was no longer welcome living with him, the man "stormed off" and called for an ambulance. When the emergency services arrived, the injured man gave them Lunn's name and he was arrested soon after.
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On Friday, Lunn, of Walkerdene House, Walker, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for section 20 wounding which he had previously pleaded guilty to.
The court heard that the two had met in a homeless hostel in 2018 and when Lunn secured accommodation, he invited the man to live with him under the condition he abstain from drug-taking. However, the man began taking drugs and had asked Lunn for some of his prescribed Valium, which he refused.
Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said the man then went and bought cannabis and Valium on the streets and "remained intoxicated" for about a week. He said: "On September 6, the man asked the defendant for cannabis and then asked for Valium, which he refused. The man then punched the defendant in the jaw, went to the kitchen and returned with a knife, making threats."
The court heard that Lunn grabbed the man's wrist and a "tussle" ensued, which ultimately ended in the man sustaining a stab injury underneath his armpit. Mr Wardlaw said that upon realising he had been stabbed, Lunn tended to the man's injury with a towel, before the latter "apologised".
Lunn later told the man he was no longer welcome in the flat and he "stormed off" before calling an ambulance. When emergency services arrived, the man told them Lunn was responsible for causing the 2.5cm wound and officers turned up to arrest him. Mr Wardlaw said Lunn was "aggressive" towards officers, who had to Taser him before arrest.
Text messages were later recovered which showed Lunn had taken responsibility for the stabbing. The court was told he had a "dreadful" criminal record of 52 convictions for 146 offences, with previous convictions for possession of blades.
Regarding mitigating factors, the court heard that Lunn, a father-of-three who has never had "gainful employment", had been out of trouble for seven years and had been drug-free for 10 years, despite glue-sniffing from the age of 10. A probation report found he had the "potential of thinking in a rational and law abiding manner".
The court heard that the victim in the case was still "supportive" of Lunn and had not co-operated with the prosecution. There were also elements of self-defence, with the incident being "short-lived and spontaneous".
Judge Robert Adams handed Lunn a 38-week prison sentence, but due to the amount of time he had already served on remand, he was due for immediate release.
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