Mark Glover acted as an accomplice to the now deceased man who allegedly inflicted their victim’s knife wounds
Mark Glover acted as an accomplice to the now deceased man who allegedly inflicted their victim’s knife wounds
A knifeman’s accomplice waved goodbye to a judge as he walked free from court in connection with a stabbing. The victim was left with a punctured lung after he was pursued down the street and stabbed following a night out.
The man who allegedly inflicted these knife wounds has since died. But Mark Glover, who was left with blood on his hands after also raining blows down upon the victim, was today hauled before the criminal justice system.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday Gareth Pye was walking home after a night out in St Helens town centre shortly after 2.45am on June 30, 2022 but “found himself in an argument with two girls and a man over cigarettes” as he passed the YMCA on North Road. Glover and another occupant of the hostel, Lee Kenyon, then shouted unspecified comments down from an upstairs window.
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Olivia Beesley, prosecuting, described how Mr Pye responded by saying “come on then” which saw the two men leave the premises and follow him down the street while continuing to shout. He unsuccessfully attempted to seek refuge in his sister’s home further down the same road before being attacked.
Mr Pye was unable to recall the altercation and only remembered being awoken by an emergency services worker with a resident having called 999 after looking out of his window and seeing two males running away and leaving him lying injured on the floor. Both Glover and Mr Kenyon were later located by police officers in the street and arrested, with the former noted to have had “blood on his right hand in between his ring finger and little finger”.
The victim was taken to Aintree Hospital after suffering injuries to his head and chest, with a CT scan finding he had sustained a punctured left lung which was “consistent with a knife wound”. The defendant accepts he punched the complainant twice during the incident, but maintains that he was not responsible for Mr Pye’s stab wounds and was unaware Kenyon was armed with a knife.
Glover has a total of 35 previous convictions for 56 offences dating back to 1999. The 41-year-old’s most recent brushes with the law related to charges of failing to comply with a community order and racially aggravated harassment in 2015 and 2022 respectively.
Paul Becker, defending, told the court: “There was a lack of control on the day. He should not have become involved. He is remorseful for what he has done.
“There has definitely been a slowing down in Mr Glover’s offending. There is clearly a link between his offending and alcohol. Mr Glover has been living in the YMCA for the last three-and-a-half years. The problem with him is alcohol. He drinks every day. He has completed three residential detoxes. He is open to the idea of further detoxification in the future.
“He does have health problems. It may be that, with increased maturation and reflection, if given a chance today he will positively engage.”
Glover admitted unlawful wounding. He was handed a 13-month sentence suspended for 18 months, 150 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days, a six-month alcohol treatment requirement and a two-year restraining order.
Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC, said: “You should not have involved yourself at all. It is plain that, as a consequence, Gareth Pye suffered serious injury. Even when he tried to get away, you persisted.
“If I were dealing with you on the basis that you were responsible for inflicting the stab wounds, you would be going to prison today. Given your basis of plea and the absence of direct evidence, I cannot be sure that you were the person responsible for causing those stab wounds. When you involve yourself in a fight in this way, you must bear some responsibility for the injuries caused – which could have been very serious indeed.
“It is plain that you have struggled with alcohol addiction for many years. It is that which underlies, I suspect, many of the offences you have committed, and it may be that it has played a role in the commission of these offences as well.”
Glover nodded as he was spared an immediate prison sentence. Upon leaving the dock, he raised his right hand and waved to the judge as he said: “Thank you, your honour.”
