A Salford teenager was sentenced to seven-and-a-half-years in a young offender’s institute today for slicing the throat of a party reveller, and was told only ‘good luck’ prevented him from receiving a heavier sentence.
Dylan Morgan, 18, of Irvine Avenue, Boothstown, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to section 18 assault and possession of a bladed article.
The unprovoked attack on a 26-year-old victim happened at a 21st birthday party at a Liberal Club on Wellington Road in Eccles on Saturday March 9.
Passing sentence, Judge Michael Henshell QC said: “It is difficult to comprehend how somebody could do that to another human being.
“The fact that this was not a catastrophic injury is due entirely to luck,” he said.
“The victim’s good luck, in that he didn’t die, and yours that you did not face a more serious charge.
“The harm you have caused has left him (the victim) with a serious scar and that harm cannot be understated.”
At about 1am the victim decided the leave the party and went to the BP petrol station where his friend got into a scuffle with Morgan.
The victim went over to see if his friend was okay and became involved in a discussion with Morgan which became heated.
He told Morgan not to spoil his friend’s birthday and put his arm around him and thought that was the end of it.
They, along with a number of other party goers, went on to an after party at a Cremer House flat.
The victim spent time in and out of the flat talking to different people, but noticed Morgan giving him ‘sly’ looks and kept walking out onto the landing when he was there.
As he walked back into the flat he saw Morgan out of the corner of his eye before feeling someone jump on his back.
Initially he thought this was someone messing around until he felt some friction on his throat, when he his neck he realised he was bleeding and saw Morgan run off towards the stairs.
The victim ran out of the flats after him but he was nowhere to be seen – he flagged down a passing fire truck who called for an ambulance.
He was taken to Salford Royal Hospital where he received 20 stitches for a slice wound to his throat which ran just below his right ear past his adam’s apple.
Morgan was arrested at home at around 7:45am on Sunday March 10.
Photographs taken just after 3am on the night of the attack showed Morgan with a knife behind his back.
The court heard how Morgan had a destructive upbringing, suffering from ADHD and having with a ‘veracious appetite’ for substances from a young age.
Detective Sergeant Rachel Smith from Salford division, said: “This was a senseless attack on a young man.
“Morgan put his hood up and jumped on the victim’s back before slicing his throat and running off.
“If the cut was any deeper this could have easily ended in tragedy all over a heated argument.
“The victim has a scar across his neck which is a permanent reminder of the attack on that night.
“People who think they can arm themselves with weapons and use them to attack people will face a long time behind bars.”
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