A TIVERTON motorist is facing a lengthy prison sentence after a jury convicted him of stabbing another driver in the chest during a road rage incident near Launceston.
Michael Johnson, aged 50, who went on trial at Truro Crown Court on Wednesday, said he had driven to Cornwall to engage in what he knew was illegal activity and that another man took his car and must have been the attacker.
Johnson, of Redvers Way, Tiverton stood accused of wounding Carl Watson with intent to do him grievous bodily harm (GBH) after Mr Watson pulled over to exchange details with the driver of a car that had hit him on the westbound carriageway of the dual carriageway.
The court heard there was no doubt that company director, Mr Watson was stabbed in the chest on June 2 at around 7.30pm but that Johnson denied that he was involved in the incident.
The court heard Mr Watson was airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth where he was found to have a stab wound to his chest which was 7cm wide by 12cm deep, passing within 0.5cm of his heart.
Johnson, who also denied a further charge of unlawful wounding, said he had driven his silver Vauxhall Astra to Altarnun, near Bodmin, to pick up a package and deliver it to an address in Bodmin – a job which he knew to involve criminal activity.
Rupert Taylor, for the defence, asked Johnson why he had lied to police when he was arrested later that day.
Johnson said: "These people are not nice people and I have got a family to think about."
Judge Simon Carr said the timings of various journeys Johnson took were recorded by automatic number plate recognition cameras in places including Exeter, Bodmin and Plymouth and did not make Johnson's story possible.
Philip Lee, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said there was evidence from DNA from blood found on Johnson's car and jacket and from witnesses which he could not escape from.
He said: "It is an incredible story and it only emerged in November of this year by which time it had become clear to the defendant that he had to come up with an explanation."
After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the charge of wounding with intent.
Judge Carr said he wanted more information about Johnson's mental health before he passed sentence.
The court heard that he had been suicidal in the period leading up to the offence.
Adjourning the case to February 6 for the preparation of a psychiatric report, Judge Carr said: "The sentence will be one of some length.
"It is only right to have more information as to whether there is an appropriate psychiatric disposal."
Johnson was remanded in custody.
