A MAN accused a gas engineer of sleeping with his ex-girlfriend before stabbing him with a pair of scissors, a court heard.

Rikki Dulson, of Pentre Gwyn in Wrexham appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Wednesday via video link from HMP Berwyn.

The 33-year-old had admitted two offences at a previous hearing - assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats with a bladed article.

Matthew Kerruish-Jones, prosecuting, told the court that the victim in the case was Thomas Burgin, a gas engineer who didn't know the defendant before the offence.

On November 8 last year, at around 9.30am, Mr Burgin had been sat in his work van, parked in First Avenue in Gwersyllt, drinking a coffee and speaking to his friend on the phone.

All of a sudden, the driver's door was opened by Dulson, who repeatedly shouted and accused the victim of sleeping with his ex-girlfriend - whom he'd never seen or met.

He then lunged at him with a pair of scissors with the blades open, repeatedly trying to stab him in the neck.

Terrifyingly, Mr Burgin was initially unable to leave the vehicle due to his seatbelt - but managed to eventually push Dulson away and get out.

He was stabbed three times with the scissors; once to the clavicle and twice to the upper arm.

Dulson was arrested an hour later and told police he'd been fighting with another male, but that the victim had "started it by sleeping with his girlfriend."

The Leader: Rikki Dulson (North Wales Police)Rikki Dulson (North Wales Police) (Image: North Wales Police)

Gareth Bellis, defending, asked the court to consider standing the matter down in order to have his client psychiatrically assessed.

He told the court a hospital order may be an option for Dulson, as he has been "in and out of prison" and it is not having an effect on his offending behaviour by way of either deterrent or rehabilitation.

But Recorder Simon Mills rejected the application, telling Mr Bellis the adjournment would mean weeks or even months of delay in his case when it wasn't necessary.

RECOMMENDED READING

Mr Bellis continued: "He has an unenviable record and this clearly crosses the custody threshold

"There's only one disposal open to the court today, and that's immediate custody.

"He fully admits the offence and does accept responsibility for it."

Mr Bellis added that the incident hadn't been prolonged - and had lasted some ten seconds.

Recorder Mills told the defendant: "On the evidence before me, you have a mild personality disorder which, in normal circumstances, can be managed with medication - but you'd stopped taking it.

The Leader:

"The assessment of the probation service is you'd started drinking and taking cocaine.

"You should have managed your condition better and have taken very little active responsibility over your mental health.

"That's something you need to think about."

Dulson was jailed for 22 months in total.