A MAN who stabbed a friend in the back with a vegetable knife after a row about £15 and a borrowed radio has been jailed.

Victim Antony Gray believed Matthew Clooney, 38, had stolen the small amount of cash from his wallet. Both of the men lived at a property in Chatsworth Road, Poole.

Each time Mr Gray saw Clooney, he asked for his money back, a court heard.

On Sunday, December 11 last year, Mr Gray asked Clooney to return a radio he had lent to him. At around 6pm that day, Clooney returned the radio, but had cut off the plug.

Throughout the evening, the victim heard someone repeatedly knocking on his door. When he called out, there was no answer.

At around 3am the following day, Monday, December 12, Mr Gray got up and walked to the bathroom. Before he reached it, he felt a pain in his back as if he had been punched.

He turned and saw Clooney running towards his attic room bedsit. He then reached to touch his back and realised he had been stabbed by a knife which remained in his lower back.

He knocked on a neighbour's door to raise the alarm. When paramedics and police arrived, the victim said Clooney had stabbed him.

Clooney was then arrested.

Me Gray was taken to Poole Hospital for treatment to his injury, which was not life-threatening.

He has died from an unrelated cause before a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court took place.

Clooney was convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent in October. On Monday, November 13, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison.

Detective Constable Matt Bradley, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Matthew Clooney armed himself with a knife and attacked his victim following an argument over money. It was fortunate that his victim did not sustain more serious injuries.

“I hope the sentence handed out by the court will send out a very strong message that knife crimes such as this are taken very seriously and you will be brought to justice.”