A man has been convicted in his absence of a street stabbing in Ashford in which the victim needed stitches to a chest wound.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Jason Cormick, 36, after he disappeared in August, last year.

This week at Canterbury Crown Court a judge ruled Cormick’s trial would take place although he was still on the run.

Cormick, of Brickworks Close, Tonbridge, was convicted by a 10 to two majority of wounding James Bryant intending to cause grievous bodily harm in September, 2006, but not sentenced although Judge Anthony Webb did pass a 12 month jail term for breach of bail.

Mary Jacobson, prosecuting, said Mr Bryant was wounded after intervening in a row between a childhood friend and a man in her group. After walking away, he returned when he heard the row start again and recalled the man running at him.

The friend, Laura Crump, shouted at him to run and as he was running he realised his shirt was wet and that he was bleeding.

“He managed to make his way to the back of Ashford police station where he was found by officers who gave him emergency first aid and called an ambulance. He had a eight centimetre wound to his chest,” said Miss Jacobs.

Miss Crump had earlier been in the Liquid nightclub with group of friends including Cormick. She saw him in an altercation with a customer and with a knife.

She had been arguing with her boyfriend that night and while they were waiting by the fountain in Ashford High Street, Cormick went to get a kebab.

Mr Bryant came over to them and while they were talking, Cormick returned and for some reason, put a knife to Mr Bryant’s face.

Moments later a fight started and she shouted to Mr Bryant to run which he did.

Police arrested Miss Crump’s boyfriend, Brian Davis, for the stabbing but he was later released without charge and the same day Cormick was arrested.

In interviews he denied the stabbing saying he saw a man put his arm round Miss Crump’s neck and thought he was attacking her so he challenged the man, telling him to leave her alone.

She told Cormick he was a friend, so he went to get a kebab. When he came out, the same man hit him so he threw his arms round him in self defence.

He denied stabbing anybody and denied he had been carrying a knife.