A FORMER solider who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan repeatedly stabbed a man he wrongly blamed for talking to police about him.

Manchester Crown Court heard how 39-year-old Bryan Faughey had struggled to adapt to life on “Civvy Street” and had been convicted of driving and harassment offences.

And he became involved in a dispute with Christopher Holland, who lived near his on/off partner Paula Westwood, at The Welland, Westhoughton.

Nicolas Ross, defending, told how Faughey, a father-of-one, had served with the Queens Lancashire Regiment for 12 years and suffered PTSD after being deployed to Kosovo and Bosnia and seeing action in the second Iraq war and in Afghanistan.

“He experienced the worst, extremely bloody conflict and atrocities,” said Mr Ross.

He added that after being discharged from the Army, “life on Civvy Street was rather too difficult for him”.

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Lee Hughes, prosecuting, told the court how Faughey had accused Mr Holland of making a statement about him to police and, in March last year Faughey had made threats against him in Wetherspoons at Westhoughton.

Then, on July 6, Miss Westwood was talking on the phone to Faughey. The handset was on speaker phone and she was leaning out of her window.

Mr Hughes told how Mr Holland overheard the conversation and warned that he would get Faughey arrested if he came to his address.

Ten minutes later Faughey, of Bridge Street, Horwich, arrived at The Welland, armed with a three-inch bladed knife.

Mr Holland told his partner, Emma Barnett, to stay inside and the two men confronted each other in the communal gardens.

During the fight Faughey stabbed Mr Holland five times, with one wound narrowly missing his abdomen.

Despite his injuries Mr Holland managed to overpower his attacker and pin him to the ground. Faughey was arrested and Mr Holland discharged himself from hospital the day after the incident.

Faughey initially denied intentionally causing grievous bodily harm, claiming it was self defence as Holland had an axe. But on the day of his trial last month he changed his plea to guilty. He also admitted possessing a knife.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh heard that Faughey has 10 previous convictions for 26 offences including for drink driving, domestic violence and harassment.

Nicholas Ross, defending, said: “The defendant is brutally aware of the inevitability of a sentence of some length.

“This is the first time this defendant has been before the court for really serious criminality.”

He added that the night Mr Holland was attacked, Faughey had been drinking heavily.

“His recollection [of what happened] is very much a blur,” said Mr Ross, who added that Faughey had trained as mental health nurse but shortly before he was due to qualify, suffered a breakdown following the death of his mother. He turned to drink and drugs and became involved in crime.

“This is a man who, very sadly, has had a dramatic and serious fall from grace,” said Mr Ross.

Judge Walsh sentenced Faughey to six years and three months in prison.

He told Faughey: “The consequences of what took place could have caused a catastrophe and it is only by good chance that the complainant did not suffer more serious injuries or fatal injuries.”