A man who stabbed someone before causing a lengthy stand off with police has been jailed.
Police were called to a report of a stabbing at about 10.30am on Tuesday, July 4th where a man in his 20s had received a stab wound to the leg. The suspect was identified as Stefan Taylor.
Taylor was spotted by police officers shortly afterwards in Blackpool town centre, but he ran off when told to stop.
He ran to North Pier and scaled the poles of the pier to put himself on the wrong side of the railings then refused to get down.
He became verbally abusive to police and caused damage to the pier by ripping bricks from the brick work and throwing them towards officers. He also snapped the cables that connect the CCTV on the pier, causing further damage.
Taylor refused to engage with police and stayed in his place on the pier for more than two hours and the concern for his safety required a large number of resources from both police and other emergency services.
When he was eventually arrested after a police negotiator talked him down, he was found with cannabis on him and was arrested for that as well as the stabbing and damage.
Taylor, 36, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to section 20 wounding, Criminal Damage, Intentionally / Recklessly causing a public nuisance and Possession of Class B drugs.
He appeared at Preston Crown Court and was jailed for five years.

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