A BRIERLEY Hill security guard who savagely stabbed his former brother-in-law in the chest with a kitchen knife has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Simon Hughes had acted as a pallbearer at the funeral of his victim's mother and after the service he downed nearly 20 pints with the family and friends at The Blue Brick public house.

The 36-year-old then became aggressive, tension built up and he went off to the home of the late woman, where he broke a window and armed himself with four knives, said Howard Searle, prosecuting.

He said Hughes met his former brother-in-law Adam Hipkiss as he made his way back to the house with James Trevelyan and there was an altercation in the street.

Hughes was carrying a knife in each hand and he put them down but he had two other knives secreted about his body and he used one to stab Mr Hipkiss in the chest.

Mr Searle said the victim had to have 10 stitches inserted into the wound and it was down to good fortune the knife had not penetrated the chest cavity.

He told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Mr Trevelyan then managed to restrain Hughes and he suffered a minor cut to his hand but the injury did not require treatment.

Hughes, of Orchard Street, admitted wounding with intent, assault causing actual bodily harm, being in possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage.

Judge Amjad Nawaz told him there was no doubt all parties had felt badly because of the sadness of the day and it was clear something must have happened to make him decide to get the knives.

“You left the public house and rather stupidly went to pick up a number of knives,” said the judge.

“You put down two of the knives but you kept another and you used it in a struggle with Mr Hipkiss.

“The injury he suffered was fortunately not serious but the intent was there when you wielded the knife and it is only good fortune that you are not facing a far more serious charge.”

John Evans, defending, said the funeral had been a stressful occasion and Hughes had clearly had far too much to drink and was not thinking clearly.

“He accepts what he did was wholly wrong,” he added.

“It was a short lived reaction and within moments of being restrained he was apologising for what he had done.”