A knifeman who stabbed a man over messages sent to his girlfriend has been jailed.
Jacob Fores, 26, attacked his victim outside a McDonald’s branch in Mills Way, Worksop, in the early hours of 22 July 2024.
The attack left the victim with two stab wounds to his upper back and lower side and a large cut to the top of his head.
He spent five days in hospital and was unable to work for three months while he recovered from injuries that medics told him could have been fatal.
Nottingham Crown Court heard the stabbing took place after the victim had exchanged messages via Facebook with Fores’ and Fores’ girlfriend, Leanne Marcer.
The victim and Fores exchanged voicenotes that led to the pair meeting for a fight. The victim believed this would be a fist fight.
The stabbing victim told officers Fores approached him from the back corner of the McDonald’s car park before striking him with a weapon, believed to be a wrench.
The court heard Fores then fled the scene and went to Marcer’s address.
The victim followed and this prompted Fores – now armed with a knife – and Marcer – who was armed with a curtain pole – to confront him in the street.
Fores chased him down to the junction of Mills Way and Retford Road, opposite the McDonald’s branch, where the stabbing took place.
During the police investigation, both Fores and Marcer claimed they had acted in self-defence. However a judge dismissed that version of events after CCTV showed the victim did not have a weapon and was the person being chased down.
Fores, of Sherwood Road, Worksop, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, while Marcer, of Potter Street, Worksop, admitted affray.
At their sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday 13 October, Fores was jailed for five years and 10 months. Marcer was given a community order comprising a rehabilitation activity requirement and 40 hours of unpaid work.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable India Woodrow, of Nottinghamshire Police’s CID team, said:
“This was a horrific attack that happened on a main public street in Worksop, where a knife was used to inflict injuries that could easily have been fatal.
“This is not the first time Fores has appeared before the courts and he is a well-known perpetrator of criminality in the Worksop community.
“I hope this outcome provides some degree of comfort for the victim as well as reminding people of the consequences of violent crime, both for perpetrators and their victims.”