Man Jailed After Stabbing Another Man & Threatening Him With Imitation Gun

A Market Harborough man has been jailed for five-and-a-half-years for stabbing another man in the knee and threatening him with an imitation gun.

Jonathan Hickingbottom, 27, burst into the victim’s flat at Riverside Court on Farndon Road, armed with a large knife, after believing he had sent a text message to his partner.

When inside, he pushed over the victim, a man in his 20s, stabbed him and pulled out a small handgun, before striking him to the head.

Leicester Crown Court heard the victim needed five stitches to a knee wound and further hospital treatment for other cuts on his face, ankle and arm, as well as a bite mark near his eye.

Hickingbottom, formally of Marmion Close, admitted several charges relating to the incident on April 14^th last year.

He was also sentenced for an unrelated incident in Market Harborough town centre in November 2019, when he assaulted a man and an emergency worker.

Jonathan Hickingbottom Pic: Leics Police

Detective Constable Robin Bonell was the investigating officer at Leicestershire Poilice and said: “The victim in the Farndon Road assault was very lucky to have not been more seriously injured as we believe the intent was to cause him more harm than what was inflicted.

“Hickingbottom went there knowing he had the use of an imitation firearm and knife, just shows the extent and level of violence he intended to use.

“I am very grateful for the support of a number of different teams across the force, assisting in the apprehension of the suspect and his arrest.

“I am pleased Hickingbottom has admitted to the offences and spared the victims the ordeal of reliving the events of last year in the court room.”

A 30-year-old woman who was also charged with a number of offences relating to the April incident has since had the case against her discontinued.