Spalding based teenager who stabbed a man will wait for sentence as Judge asks to find out if he was bullied

The sentence of a teenager who stabbed a man was adjourned by a Judge to establish if he had been a victim of bullying.

George Swallow (19) was due to be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court following the incident on November 14 last year.

His victim, Linton Doherty, was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary with a suspected stab wound near his spinal cord.

Swallow, previously of Lindsey Drive, Holton le Clay, has pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and a second charge of possessing a bladed article, namely a knife, in a public place on the same date.

He was previously granted bail for the preparation of psychological report and a probation report on condition he obeys an electronically monitored curfew, lives at an address in Spalding and does not enter Cleethorpes.

Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight said the psychological and probation reports had raised a number of issues which needed to be investigated by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Stephen Robinson, mitigating for Swallow, had told the hearing his use of a knife was totally out of character.

Mr Robinson said: "It is maintained he was bullied by people, he loaned money to people and his motorbike was taken.

"It is an explanation for him having a knife that day, and his loss of temper."

Judge Sjolin Knight said the reports showed Swallow had a number of vulnerabilities.

"It's never acceptable to carry a knife," the Judge added. "But I have to consider this defendant's culpability."

Addressing Swallow, Judge Sjolin Knight told him: "What I need to know is what happened in the run up.

"You have explained a number of things to the psychologist and the probation officer, so I need to know what the prosecution say about that."

Swallow was granted conditional bail until April 28 when he will be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court.

Lincolnshire Police said they were alerted to the stabbing in Holton le Clay, between Louth and Cleethorpes, after the victim aged in his 20s sought help at a nearby pub, The Royal Oak.

Crime scene investigators arrived at the scene shortly after the incident at 5.30pm on Monday, November 14, before they began investigating the area to establish the circumstances.