Thug stabbed man due to jealousy over ex-girlfriend

The victim was left bleeding 'profusely' on the road in Bewsey with a collapsed lung and pierced liver and would have died without emergency treatment from an ambulance which happened to be driving by.

And just a few months before this horrific incident, Lee Ashton from Newton-le-Willows carried out a number of burglaries which saw him steal two guns.

The 23-year-old appeared via video link for sentencing before Liverpool Crown Court on Monday after being found guilty of wounding and possession of a bladed article in a public place after a trial last month.

Ashton, of Elston Avenue, also pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary, robbery and handling stolen goods.

The stabbing carried out by Ashton, who is a dad, took place in December last year, prosecutor Katy Appleton said.

The court heard how it arose from Ashton becoming 'jealous and possessive' of his ex-partner who he had previously subjected to 'domestic violence'.

Prior to the incident, Ashton had been 'watching over' her house on Folly Farm Close in Bewsey.

On December 19, Ashton along with two other men 'waited' for his ex-girlfriend's new partner to leave her house while they were all armed with a 'variety of knives'.

At around 11.30pm, the victim left the house to walk back to a tent he was sleeping in at a nearby park.

CCTV showed that the victim was then confronted by Ashton and two others and when he spotted a knife, the victim began to run but was chased by the gang of three men.

During the chase, the victim stumbled and fell but as he was trying to get back up he was stabbed in the back by Ashton.

He then ran across the road into what he thought was the safety of a nearby garden but he was followed by the three men.

The victim ran into the main road from Folly Farm Close (Picture: Google Maps)

The victim was then attacked again in the garden before pulling the knife from his body which was 'lodged' in his chest cavity.

Here, judge David Potter said the 'enormity of what had happened' hit the victim and the gang and the three attackers then ran off.

The victim, who was 'very seriously wounded' ran into the main road to try and attract attention before collapsing.

Two passing vehicles ignored the man who was 'bleeding profusely' before a passing ambulance drove by and was able to perform 'lifesaving' treatment immediately and take the victim straight to hospital.

The court heard how a paramedic at the scene didn't think the victim would have been able to tolerate that level of blood loss for much longer if he wasn't found when he was.

"I believe he is very lucky that we found him when we did as I do not think he would have lived," the paramedic said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Ashton ran away from the scene and 'immediately began to cover up'.

His friend from Widnes drove him about to various hotels before he checked in at the Holiday Inn in Runcorn.

Ashton gave this same friend instructions to 'dispose or conceal' his clothing.

The stabbing incident left the victim with a punctured lung and pierced liver.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how a few months prior to this, Ashton went on a spate of burglaries and a robbery.

Ashton appeared via video link before Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

The first of these offences, the robbery, took place on August 20 at 1.30am when the victim was riding his electric bike, worth £2,000, in Ellesmere Port.

Ashton and another male came up behind him on a bike and said: "You know what this is, it is a robbery.

"Give it me lad."

The victim tried to ride off but felt a blow to the back of his leg and was rammed off his bike by the pair.

While on the floor both males attacked him before stealing his bike and backpack.

The next incident, a burglary, took place on August 21 when at around 1am a man accessed the roof of a property and removed panels for access.

He then 'scoped' the garage and cut the CCTV wires before leaving.

But on that same evening at around 11.30pm, Ashton and two other men all wearing a balaclava, gloves and dark clothing returned to the garage.

They took some items with them, including an air rifle and pistol.

They returned a few hours later at around 12.30am on August 22 where they stole various items including two motorbikes, a toolbox and another bike.

Ms Appleton told the court how these bikes were valued at £1,700, £4,000 and £8,600.

The victim of these burglaries was left 'extremely upset' about the thought of someone entering his property.

Ashton lives on Elston Avenue in Newton-le-Willows

A search warrant was executed at an address in Ellesmere Port on August 23 where a number of these stolen items including the guns and pellets were recovered.

Ms Appleton said Ashton has nine convictions for 18 offences including an offence in Sankey Valley Park where he and another person broke a man's arm by stamping on it.

Defending, Michael Davies said: "He is still only 23 years old, he's still a young man.

"I ask the court to take into account his age.

"He will lose a significant part of his twenties, and possibly into the early part of his thirties."

"It will be the first lengthy custodial sentence that he has received and it will impact on him because of his age."

Before sentencing, Judge David Potter said: "Through sheer good fortune, he [the victim] received immediate assistance.

"This life-saving treatment and emergency surgery means you are being sentenced for wounding and not for manslaughter.

"You had a leading role in this group activity. It was a prolonged and persistent attack against a man who was heavily outnumbered.

"I have come to the conclusion that you are a dangerous offender."

He also said Ashton has a four-year-old child.

Referring to the other set of offences, Judge Potter added: "The burglaries were of a high value.

"Sophistication had gone into the planning and execution of those burglaries."

Ashton was handed an eight-year prison sentence with a three-year licence period.

He was also handed a restraining order against the stabbing victim and his ex-girlfriend.

Before leaving the video link, Ashton described the stabbing victim as a 'grass'.