Promising Leeds footballer stabbed love rival in organised fight after ‘daddy’ jibes

Dale James Manson agreed to meet his partner’s ex boyfriend to “settle their differences” over claims that the man’s children were calling him “Daddy Dale”.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the pair met on the evening of June 13, 2021 on Azalea Avenue in Seacroft, following a series of messages between the pair.

Prosecuting, Satpal Roth-Sharma said 28-year-old Manson carried with him a “sharp bladed instrument” and at some point during the scrap, Manson pulled out the weapon and stabbed the man, leaving a one-to-two cm wound. He was later treated in hospital.

Manson later claimed it was a carpet gripper rod, but the victim told police that he saw a dagger. Manson, of Magnolia Road, Seacroft, told police during interview that he was not even present.

Following a trial, Manson was cleared of Section 18 GBH but found guilty of the lesser charge of Section 20 GBH. He has 24 previous convictions, however, a probation report said despite his chequered past, he had gained full-time employment as a forklift truck driver, was in a long-term relationship and had stayed out of trouble. He plays semi-professional football on Saturdays, for which he is paid, and also plays for a different team on a Sunday.

Backing this up, barrister Michael Collins said: “His life is quite dull, happily. He goes to work and plays football at a weekend, and he stays in looking after the kids when he is not doing these other activities.”

He added that Manson “accepts it was a stupid thing to do” but agreed to meet the victim to stop him from coming to the family home to fight him. He said that Manson had a difficult upbringing, and had gone to live with his father in Ireland whom he later found dead in a pub toilet.

He ended up in the care system, eventually became homeless and became addicted to crack cocaine, an addiction he has since conquered.

Judge Simon Batiste told Manson that he came to the hearing thinking there was “only one option” – to send him to jail – but opted to suspend the 18-month sentence for two years. He must also carry out 70 hours of unpaid work and live under an electronically-tagged curfew between 9pm and 6m for four months.

He said: “It appears his children were calling you 'Daddy Dale'. It appears to have caused him a great deal of upset and there was texts that clearly involve you both winding each other up and there was an agreement to meet to fight about it.

"You either took with you or found on the way to the scene, a weapon. It was clearly a sharp, bladed article. Whether it was a knife is not abundantly clear.

"It appears you have taken remarkable strides to turn your life around. Three or four years ago your effectively homeless and on drugs but now you are in a different position. To send you to prison now may set you back considerably.”