A DISABLED grandfather was jailed for 18 months for attacking his grand-daughter's partner with a knife.
Randolph Godding, aged 67, was jailed for inflicting a superficial knife wound on Michael Taylor. But pandemonium broke out in court when he was sentenced.
His daughter and other relatives cried and screamed, and one woman threw herself to the floor in court when Mr Godding was jailed.
Godding "flipped" after his grand-daughter Maria Morris had accused him of sexually molesting her when she had been younger, the court was told. He went to her house with a knife, kicked the front door in and cornered Taylor in the kitchen, giving him a superficial knife wound to his body.
Godding, of Central Avenue, Farnworth, appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentence. He admitted aggravated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on February 5.
Adrian Dugdale, prosecuting, said Maria Morris, Godding's grand-daughter, had alleged he had indecently touched her when she was a child. Despite the allegations, Morris continued to visit Godding and played cards at his house.
But on February 1, Godding accused Morris of cheating at cards and removed her from his house in a headlock. In the days that followed Godding and his wife received abusive phone calls and, on February 5, after a drinking session Godding went to her house with a knife.
Taylor awoke to see Godding at the door with the knife. He was shouting that he was going to kill them both. He kicked the door in and chased Taylor around the house, finally cornering him in the kitchen where he stabbed him.
with the knife.
Taylor suffered a superficial wound to his body which did not need medical treatment and Godding's was removed from the house by his daughter.
When police called at Godding's house later he was still holding a knife. He fully admitted what had happened.
Mark Fireman, defending, said that despite the sexual abuse allegations, which Godding strenuously denied, he had continued to act in a grandfatherly way to Morris.
The whole extended family had supported him and there had been no further contact between the family and Morris and Taylor.
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