A STUDENT who sliced his aggressor with a kitchen knife acted in self-defence, a court has heard.

Ezichiebuka Ewurum grabbed the weapon after an argument at a house party in Tennyson Road, Portswood in a bid to ward off the man.

As the 24-year-old grappled with the victim, he "recklessly" held on to the knife, leaving the man with a three millimetre cut to the neck.

But due to evidence which showed the victim had acted aggressively towards Ewurum, Judge Peter Henry ruled at Southampton Crown Court he should not be jailed.

He said had Ewurum intentionally stabbed the victim he could have expected six years behind bars.

At his sentencing, Richard Martin, mitigating, said Ewurum had met the victim only once before the incident, hearing that he had "punched someone" at a nightclub in Southampton.

When the dispute between them got more heated, Ewurum then reached for the weapon.

The court heard that initially the victim had claimed Ewurum had intentionally stabbed him, but after he was abusive to nurses while in hospital and drinking a glass of his own urine, his evidence was questioned by the prosecution.

The prosecution accepted Ewurum's version that he had acted in self-defence and a charge of wounding without intent was agreed.

Ewurum was described as a "hard-working man", who studies at university in the city and works three-nights-a-week at Amazon.

His behaviour was "out of character" Mr Martin added.

Crying as he was handed an 11-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Henry told him: "It was a minor cut but anytime someone cuts that part of the neck, particularly with a knife, you are a very short distance from cutting an artery which could have fatal consequences."

Ewurum, of Botley Road, Shedfield, was also ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work within the next year.

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