A jealous man who was confronted by pub-goers after head-butting his pregnant partner, was jailed for five and a half years for stabbing a man with a Stanley knife.
John Molloy was confronted by a group of men after he assaulted his girlfriend Leah Smith, who at the time was three months pregnant with his child, outside the Carrs Hotel Pub in Whiston.
The men punched and kicked him before Molloy retaliated by stabbing bystander Mark Hooper, who had not been involved in the attack.
Yesterday, at Liverpool Crown Court, 28-year-old Molloy was given a five-year jail sentence.
He admitted wounding Mr Hooper with intent, assaulting Ms Walsh causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon.
The court heard that Mr Molloy was angry with his partner because he believed she was seeing other men and drinking while pregnant.
The court also heard how he had driven to the pub drunk.
CCTV footage showed the group of pub-goers punching and kicking Mr Molloy, before chasing him towards his car.
Next, the group can be seen retreating back towards the pub as Mr Molloy can be seen brandishing a knife before plunging the knife into the abdomen of Mr Hooper.
Mr Hooper underwent surgery to treat two stab wounds, one to his abdomen and one to his back.
Mr Molloy drove away from the scene before he was arrested by police a short distance away after crashing his car into a parked vehicle.
Louise McCloskey, who was defending Mr Molloy in court, said her client was “struggling to come to terms” with what he had done.
She also revealed that he had written a letter of apology to Mr Hooper and had worked to address his alcohol issues while in custody.
