Brit in court for stabbing boss

A British man appeared in an Alicante court earlier this week, facing an eleven year jail term, charged with the attempted murder of a Benidorm bar owner, who was also his employer.

He is accused of stabbing the boss, who had refused him a shot and ordered him to leave his kitchen. The incident, which led to his arrest, occurred at around 16.15h on Valentine’s Day, February 14^th, last year, in the kitchen of an unnamed pub in the Rincon de Loix area of the resort. Giving evidence to the court, the victim, said, "I had to start preparing the food and I went to the kitchen. He went in there with me and I told him to leave because I was very busy.” He admitted the pair had been joking all morning, as the defendant was an occasional worker at the bar, who regularly drank in the premises. When the owner asked him to leave and refused him the shot, the employee left without further argument. “I turned around and he was gone,” said the victim, “but when I went to get the knife to cut the chicken I couldn’t find it.”“Suddenly I noticed a very strong pain in the back and I noticed that it was beginning to bleed. I screamed for help, "he told the court. National Police officers, called to the scene, arrived to find the victim with the knife stuck in his back. Acting on information provided by the bar owner, the agents visited the suspect's home. However, although he was not at home, but his partner was able to call his mobile and speak to him when he admitted that he was very scared because he had just had a big fight at the bar. The accused was arrested and held for more than five months in pretrial detention. The defendant accepted his right not to testify at the beginning of the trial, although at the end of the hearing he apologised to the victim and his wife and offered to make a compensation payment. His lawyer stated that the defendant was affected by the use of alcohol and drugs and that the accusation of attempted murder seemed disproportionate, claiming he should be convicted of injuring the victim under the influence of drugs. Meanwhile, the prosecuting counsel ruled out applying any extenuating circumstance for drunkenness or drug addiction, on the understanding that the accused was aware of what he had done. The trial continues..... By Andy Mansell