Man stabbed friend in row over sausages

A man stabbed his friend in an argument over a packet of sausages.

Szymon Belzak, 23, stabbed his friend Andre Andros in the shoulder after they argued over who owned the sausages they had bought during a drunken shopping trip in Hull.

Jailing Belzak at Hull Crown Court, Judge Roger Thorn QC said a message needed to be sent out that people who carry knives will be locked up.

Mr Andros had been at the home he shared with Belzak in Clifton Street, west Hull, on July 11.

He had drunk two bottles of vodka before Belsak returned and then the two of them shared a third bottle of vodka.

They then went shopping. When the two Polish nationals got home they began arguing about who had bought the sausages.

Prosecutor Mark McKone said: ""The defendant grabbed him by the shoulder and they began punching each other in the kitchen of the house.

"After about five minutes, Andre appeared to be getting the upper hand in the fight.

"Belzak then grabbed the knife from the work top and hit Andre in the back of the right shoulder."

Another resident tried to pull him away but was unsuccessful.

The other resident rang a friend who could speak English and asked him to call the police and an ambulance.

The defendant then left the house but returned after 15 minutes to find Mr Andros throwing his possessions out of the window.

The fight then continued outside and the police arrived.

On his arrest, Belzak told the police he was knocked to the floor by his friend and used the knife to free himself.

He pleaded guilty to wounding and has been jailed for a year and four months.

Judge Thorn QC said: "You know I have to send you to prison. Knife crime is endemic in this country and those who use a knife to stab other people must know that they face an immediate prison sentence.

"I accept that you yourself were attacked in this case, but it was you who picked up the knife and then used it.

"The aggravating feature in this case is the drink involved. In your case vodka.

"A drunk man wielding a knife of this nature cannot be sure about the gravity of the injuries they will cause."