Trio sentenced after restaurant stabbing

Stephen Cleworth has been sentenced to eight years in jail after stabbing two men and wounding another on Christmas Day last year.

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Three men have been sentenced to a combined ten years in jail after two men were stabbed and another was slashed in the face on Christmas Day last year.

Stephen Cleworth, 24, of Fielding Street in Middleton was found guilty of three counts of wounding with intent following a trial at Preston Crown Court. Today (Thursday 17 September) he was sentenced to eight years in jail.

Paul Rowley, 25, of Tudor Grove, Middleton and Mark Smith, 24, of Rochdale Road were both found guilty of violent disorder after a trial. Today, Smith was sentenced to two years in jail and Rowley was given a 20-week suspended sentence.

Smith and Rowley were found not guilty of wounding with intent, and all three defendants were cleared of attempted murder.

The three victims, men aged 21, 22 and 23, had been out in Middleton on Christmas Eve for drinks with their girlfriends.

At about 1am on Christmas Day the group went to the Akash Indian Restaurant on Market Place. They were sitting at their table when Mark Smith burst into the restaurant.

Smith thought the group had been involved in an earlier altercation with him. Stephen Cleworth followed Smith in, armed with a knife.

Cleworth slashed the 21-year-old man across the face. This victim ran out of the restaurant.

The two victims left inside were both subjected to a life-threatening attack. Cleworth stabbed the 23-year-old man in the stomach, causing him to collapse inside the restaurant.

Cleworth also stabbed the 22-year-old man in the stomach, upper body and neck. This man tried staggered out of the restaurant and collapsed on Market Place, 500 yards away.

Paul Rowley was also seen at the entrance of the restaurant, and had been with Cleworth and Smith.

The victims aged 22 and 23 were taken to hospital in a critical condition. The 22-year-old suffered serious injuries to his internal organs, and spent three weeks in hospital. He still remains unwell.

The 23-year-old victim required emergency surgery for the wounds to his stomach. He is recovering at home.

Detective Constable Nick Price said: "This was a vicious, horrific attack that was entirely unprovoked. It is tragic that these men were the victims of mistaken identity.

"The victims' Christmas became a traumatic experience, and it has been a difficult recovery.

"Cleworth is a particularly violent individual who subjected two of the men to a relentless attack. He is today where he belongs - behind bars."