Birmingham man jailed for stabbing Powys man four times

South Wales Argus

09-06-2025

Ricco Douglas, 25, took a knife being held by Scott Weale and stabbed him twice in the front and twice in the back after an argument in a car in Llethyr Bryn in Llandrindod Wells last year, a court heard on Monday (June 9).
Mr Weale managed to stagger home before collapsing and being rushed to hospital in Cardiff with "life-threatening" stab wounds, including a collapsed lung.
Douglas, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, was jailed for five years and three months by a judge at Newport Crown Court on Monday (June 9) after admitting wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He had initially been charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, but no evidence was offered on those charges.
The court was told that at around 8pm on December 14, Douglas and Mr Weale had been in a car arguing over a drug deal.
The pair were not known associates but knew Brecon drug dealer Callum Samuel, who served prison time with Douglas, and was in contact with the 25-year-old before and after the stabbing, the court was told.
The argument continued outside the vehicle which led to Mr Weale chasing Douglas with a knife before the pair grappled and Douglas disarmed the other man.
READ MORE: Police make arrest in Llandrindod attempted murder case
He then stabbed him four times with his own knife.
Mr Weale managed to run home where his friend Liam Langley had been waiting to collect his wages, and threw his keys to him and "in a panicked and shaken voice" told him to lock the door, prosecuting barrister Mr Jones told the court.
Mr Langley saw his friend's shirt was soaking with blood, and was told 'I don't feel good. I think I've been hit" before passing out in the kitchen.
Mr Langley called 999 and Mr Weale's family while applying pressure to his wounds fearing that he was watching his friend bleeding out and struggling to breathe.
Emergency services received a 'red call' and rushed Mr Weale to Cardiff in a land ambulance on blue lights, arriving an hour-and-a-half later.
Surgeons removed a one-litre blood clot from his chest, fixed a collapsed left lung and closed his stab wounds, which measured from two to five centimetres in length.
Mr Weale spent eight days in hospital before going home in time for Christmas. He did not engage with the court proceedings, the judge was told.
Dyfed-Powys Police officers who secured the scene found blood in the street, bank notes and traces of cocaine.
Newport Crown Court (Image: Archive)
Douglas fled immediately after the stabbing in a black Ford Kuga, which was seen by police in Worcestershire at 9.50pm before driving off at speed.
The car, Douglas' stepmother's, was later found abandoned in Birmingham with the keys still inside. Red staining on a handle was found to be the victim's blood, and Douglas' fingerprints and blood were also found.
Three days after the stabbing, on December 17, police stung Douglas' Audi A3 along Coventry Road in Birmingham before handcuffing and arresting him on suspicion of attempted murder.
On his fifth and final interview at Newtown Police Station, Douglas provided a prepared statement claiming the stabbing was in self-defence.
Newport Crown Court was told that Douglas had convictions for robberies during a ten-year period which started when he was 15 years old.
The stabbing in Llandrindod Wells happened months after he was released from prison on licence for robbery at knifepoint.
Defence barrister Michael Mather-Lees told the judge that the "intelligent lad" was initially unarmed when Mr Weale chased him in the street.
"He disarms Mr Weale amid a violent struggle. He was defending himself, but he went over the top," the barrister said.
"They were plainly excessive actions, and he accepts that.
He added: "You have got a victim who has a dubious background and substantially armed. There is credence for [Douglas'] version of events. It doesn't excuse it, and we know why they were there.
"He accepts that he has behaved excessively and is looking at a substantial sentence.
"He says in a very intelligent letter that he accepts his immaturity and has made very substantial mistakes behaving badly in the past."
Judge Daniel Williams told Douglas that that the prosecution didn't challenge his version of events.
"Scott Weale was found bleeding and with a collapsed lung; wounds which could be life threatening and required immediate treatment," he said.
"The harm caused to Mr Weale was particularly grave or life-threatening with severe stab wounds to the chest."
After reflecting Douglas' age and positive references, the judge sentenced him to five years and three months in custody, which half will be spent behind bars.