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Neil Hutchings jailed for stabbing ex-friend Oliver Hamilton-Harris in Herne Bay chip shop row

Neil Hutchings, of East Street, Herne Bay, has been jailed for wounding
Neil Hutchings, of East Street, Herne Bay, has been jailed for wounding

A Herne Bay man stabbed a former friend twice with a knife... and then returned to the scene with two more knives.

Neil Hutchings, 27, plunged the knife 60mm into Oliver Hamilton-Harris, severing a triceps muscle.

He admitted wounding with intent and was given a seven-year and eight-month sentence – which includes a four-year and seven-month jail term.

James Bilsland, prosecuting, told Canterbury Crown Court how in May this year Hutchings, of East Street, went to Herne Bay High Street.

"The victim Mr Harrison-Harris was with his partner Toni Ashby going to a chip shop for some food. There they saw Hutchings with whom Mr Harrison-Harris had something of a history.

"They had known each other for three years and were friends, but fell out when Hutchings would come to his mother's house frequently which he thought was an abuse of hospitality."

The court heard how the two squared up to each other – and began fighting outside the shop.

Mr Bilsland said: "One woman living nearby looked out of her window and initially thought that the man and woman were beating up Hutchings, but she then saw Mr Harrison-Harris banging Hutchings's hand against the window of a bakery and she realised he was holding a knife."

The victim received a 22mm wound in his shoulder that was 40mm deep and another to the back of the left arm.

The second would was a 45mm gash and 60mm deep, damaging the triceps muscle – and needing 20 stitches.

Police forensic officers at the scene of the stabbing in Herne Bay High Street
Police forensic officers at the scene of the stabbing in Herne Bay High Street

A police forensic officer at the scene of the stabbing in Herne Bay

Mr Bilsland: "The knife was removed from Hutchings but the fight continued with Hutchings being punched until he ran away. He went home and armed himself with two more knives and returned to the scene 10 minutes later in an aggressive state."

Oliver Saxby, defending, said: "This was an unpremeditated attack. And he accepts that he used a knife but not before he had received something of a beating."

Judge Heather Norton, in adding a three-year extension to his prison licence, told Hutchings: "I accept that there may have been a degree of provocation, but you produced a knife and you used it to stab Mr Hamilton-Harris twice... and you are no stranger to the use of knives.

"Fortunately for the victim and for you those injuries weren't more serious. It was just chance or luck those injuries weren't worse."

Hutchings was also given a one-year concurrent jail sentence after he admitted possessing knives in a public place.

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