A MAN who was stabbed during a fight in a shopping centre has been jailed over the incident.

David Hurst has been handed 20 months behind bars following the drunken altercation in Golden Square Shopping Centre in March last year.

But a second man alleged to have been involved in the fighting walked free from court.

Liverpool Crown Court heard last week that the defendant and James Heys planned to meet in the town centre in order to talk about the latter’s girlfriend.

But Hurst ran at Heys and punched him several times, knocking him to the floor, shortly after 3.45pm on March 19 2019.

The 36-year-old continued to punch him in the head as he lay on the ground, with the incident near to the Hilden Square entrance of the shopping centre being caught on CCTV.

Warrington Guardian:

Prosecutor Nardeen Nemat told the court that Mr Heys then brandished a lock knife and struck Hurst in the leg with the weapon.

Both men ran away from the scene after shoppers attempted to separate them, but were later arrested.

Hurst, of no fixed address, was described as having an ‘appalling’ criminal record – with 44 previous conviction for 86 offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and battery.

He was brought before the courts a total of 11 times during 2019 and handed five prison sentences totalling 41 weeks, including jail time imposed for possession of a bladed article in a public place in December.

Appearing in court via video link to HMP Altcourse on April 1, he admitted affray during an earlier hearing.

Heys, of Poachers Lane in Latchford, was charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place in connection with the incident.

However, the case against the 40-year-old was discontinued at Warrington Magistrates Court in February.

Sentencing Hurst, judge Garrett Byrne said: “You got into an argument with Mr Heys, ran at him and knocked him to the ground.

“I do accept that you were stabbed in the incident, however that does not excuse your behaviour.

“This must have been extremely upsetting for members of the public in the vicinity to see.”