Retired art dealer slashed man across the face in Leicester street

A retired art dealer who slashed a man across the face in the street has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Leicester Crown Court was told that Charles Kinnear (59) had previously been attacked by people from a nearby estate and carried a knife to defend himself.

His victim, in his early 20s, needed eight stitches to a cut above his top lip and cheek, which left him with a permanent scar.

The incident happened on November 18 last year, as the defendant was walking along Pendlebury Drive, West Knighton, Leicester, near his flat.

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Jonathan Straw, prosecuting, said there was a background of the defendant having verbal disagreements with young men from the nearby Saffron Lane estate.

He said the victim, cycling to see his grandmother, knew the defendant and stopped to ask: "What have you been saying about me?".

Mr Straw said the victim accused him of spreading malicious rumours about him, relating to a neighbour's death from a drug overdose.

Mr Straw said: "The defendant was dressed quite smartly and took a knife from his blazer pocket and slashed him across the face."

Within minutes, a group of males arrived with hammers and smashed the window of Kinnear's flat. The victim was not involved, but told the police he was aware it had taken place. Kinnear admitted wounding and possessing a kitchen knife with a 12-inch blade in a public place.

He was given a 51-week jail sentence, suspended for two years, with supervision and a restraining order not to contact the victim.

Judge Lynne Tayton QC said she was not sending him into custody immediately, partly because he had already served 118 days on remand, since his arrest, before being bailed.

She was also shown pictures of Kinnear's extensive injuries from a group attack in 2000, unrelated to the victim, which had caused him to fear further violence.

The court heard Kinnear, who has since moved from the area, had previous convictions for assaults between 1987 and 1992 and an affray in 1996.

Steven Newcombe, mitigating, said towards the end of the 90s, Kinnear, who worked for 30 years in the art trade, became unwell after the incident.