Waterfoot addict stabbed a man over 'love triangle' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Waterfoot addict stabbed a man over 'love triangle'

10:00pm Tuesday 5th June 2012 in Waterfoot

A DRINK and drugs addict stabbed a man after a ‘love triangle’ led to violence.

William Bridge, 36, lunged at the victim with a knife, aiming for his arm.

He claimed he intend-ed to scratch and scare him, and not to cause the level of injury the victim suffered.

The victim needed surgery on a penet-rating wound in his upper left arm, and was left scarred, after the trouble on January 13 this year, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The hearing was told how, before the attack, Bridge had twice exp-ressed concern that he had started associating with his ex-girlfriend.

It had become a sex-ual relationship again and she was said to have suggested a “threesome” with a bi-sexual male friend.

Bridge struck in the kitchen at his parents’ home in Waterfoot, after trouble started in the bedroom. He admitted wounding.

Bridge, of Edgeside Lane, Waterfoot, who has 84 offences on his record and had been on remand for 137 days, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, susp-ended for two years.

Hugh McKee, pros-ecuting, said Bridge and the victim had confr-onted each other.

Bridge said he had told the victim to leave and he refused in a taunting manner.

Bridge was also found to have scratches on his face and chest, which he said he received in the kitchen from the other man’s use of a weapon.

The victim was left with two four to five-centimetre scars. Mr McKee said Bridge had a record going back to 1994.

Paul Lawton, for Bridge, said: “This is an exceptional case of its type, the first offence this man has ever committed of violence. It’s the tragic end to what had become a love triangle on the night.”

The barrister said there had been a developing conflict in the bedroom, after a foolish decision between the three partic- ipants to experiment sexually.

Mr Lawton said: “He jabbed at him, not int-ending to hurt him, certainly not intending to wound him, and certainly not intending to cause the degree of injury that was caused.”

Mr Lawton said Bridge, who had found custody extremely difficult, had difficulties with drink and drugs and was trying to address them.