A MAN who attacked a gay couple, stabbing one of them in the liver, has been sent to prison for six years.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Lewis Buck, 21, of Banbury Road, Oxford, was told he was lucky he had not killed 27-year-old Stephen Furze during the attack on January 27.

The court heard Mr Furze and his partner Tim Samways were walking through Summertown at 10.30pm when they saw Buck in his front garden on his hands and knees and wondered whether he had fallen over.

Steve Barrett, prosecuting, said Buck shouted at the pair and started to follow them, calling them “gay boys” and challenging them to a fight. Buck denied shouting homophobic insults.

When Mr Furze stood in front of Mr Samways to protect him, Buck tried to butt and punch him, but was restrained in a headlock, the court heard. But after shouting, “I’m going shank you”, Buck went to his house and reappeared with a kitchen knife, followed by his pregnant girlfriend, who told him not to be stupid.

As Buck launched a second attack, Mr Furze told his partner to run away, while he tried to disarm their attacker.

But Buck plunged the knife 9cm (3.5in) into Mr Furze’s abdomen, piercing his liver.

Surgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital who treated Mr Furze later told him that he was “extremely fortunate” the blade had not ruptured an artery.

Claire Fraser, defending, said Buck had changed his ways since the attack, and been a model prisoner while in custody.

The court was told that his baby son had recently died, and that he had vowed to stop drinking alcohol.

Buck had pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at an earlier court appearance.

Judge Patrick Eccles said: “Fortunately for the victim, Mr Furze, and also fortunately for you, it did not cause a grievous injury.

“Someone in that position was at risk of grave injury or indeed death.”

He added: “Whatever was going through your mind, you brought a knife back to threaten him and stab him.

“You cornered him, threatened to inflict pain on him with the knife, and got him in isolation where he could not escape from you and then you deliberately stabbed him in the stomach.”

Buck was sentence to six years in prison, and told that he could expect to serve at least half his term.

After his release, he will remain on licence for a further two years, because of the risk he may still pose to the public, the judge said.

lsloan@oxfordmail.co.uk