iStockA man who launched a machete attack murder bid that left his victim close to death has been jailed for just under seven years.
Leonard Cole turned on Shaun Charles in Greenock, Inverclyde, on June 8, 2020.
The 23-year-old struck Charles repeatedly on the head and body amid claims the victim and friends were going to confront him.
Cole was found guilty of attempted murder by a jury at the High Court in Paisley.
He was also convicted of a separate later assault charge and failing to appear at a court date.
On Monday he was sent to prison for six years and nine months.
Judge Lord Armstrong ordered Cole, of Greenock, to be under supervision for four years upon his release from prison.
The judge said: “When at home you engaged with the victim and became aware he and his friends were traveling to you for a confrontation.
“At that point it would have been the practical thing to do to tell the police or stay at home.
“You chose to leave the house that day and engage in a confrontation with the victim.
“You chose to arm yourself with a fearsome machete.
“It’s clear from what followed that you were prepared to use it and did inflict a serious injury on him.
“The court witnessed footage of you swinging blows with the machete.
“The blows were to his arm, side of his head and neck.
“This caused a serious injury and he would have died but for the intervention of others.
“You showed no regard whatsoever to whether he lived or died at the time and you have taken responsibility for that. It may be said that the victim was quarrelsome but it offers no justification for the way you attacked him.
“You showed contempt for the court by failing to return and were a fugitive for nearly a year.”
Cole’s QC Edward Targowski earlier told the court the victim and two friends had come to Cole’s house armed with a knife and a scaffolding pole.
Mr Targowski added: “He has to accept that the jury did not accept his special defence of self-defence.”
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