A Merseyside bouncy castle boss was stabbed by an ex-employee who set up a rival business, a court heard.
Anthony Bradley, 36, the owner of Munchkin’s Mascots, attacked Ryan O’Neill, who runs Mersey Mascots & Bouncy Castle Hire, in a row in Litherland in April.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today how Mr O’Neill discovered in January this year that Bradley, who used to work for Mersey Mascots, had founded an “almost identical” business.
Zia Chaudhry, prosecuting, told how, on April 28, Bradley pulled up outside Mr O’Neill’s house in St David’s Grove in a car and got out appearing angry and agitated.
He said: “The defendant walked straight up to him and started making what amounted to threats towards Mr O’Neill.
“Both parties then walked towards the vehicle and were stood talking, but the defendant suddenly made a motion towards the victim and he felt a pain in his abdomen.”
Bradley, of Dagnall Road in Kirkby, was arrested by Merseyside Police around 25 minutes later.
He pleaded guilty to wounding, admitting that he stuck Mr O’Neill in the stomach with either his car keys or a “jagged ring”.
Mr Chaudhry said: “Mr O’Neill employs around 11 people, and towards the end of 2011 he employed this defendant.
“He had never met him before this time and never had any fallings out with him while he was employed.
“However there came a time at the end of November 2014 that the defendant did not turn up for work, and he never contacted Mr O’Neill again after that.”
At the time of the incident, a friend of Mr O’Neill told the ECHO: “My friend owns a company and they do birthday parties, with bouncy castles, costumes, things like that.
“It’s really shocking just to think someone could do something like that.”
Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said he would adjourn the case for Bradley to be assessed on his suitability to undergo a drugs rehabilitation order.
He said he was considering a suspended sentence or community order.
Bradley is now due to be sentenced on Monday, December 14.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/